ATTACK ON MΞMORY
by Sheppard SD
Summary: Post Assault. The Cerinian race has long been forgotten, yet is all but extinct. A reemerging presence of these powerful beings, led by an ambitious collective, threatens to annihilate the entire system. Star Fox is forced to the frontlines, and to win, they must adapt to powerful abilities, unconventional tactics, and a young Cerinian defector named Remi. Things will get weird.
1. 0 — Reverse

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 0 []**

 _ **Exordium**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 1**

 _Reverse_

 **Ξ**

* * *

Two girls shopping in a packed city square. Could it get any more original?

By no means was Naval Bay a tiny city. Well, in comparison to Eterna, Waldron's metropolitan area, and Corneria City, it sure was a tiny city. But in this instance, it's comparing apples to oranges. Naval Bay was a rather dense city of about a couple million residents resting along where a river emptied out into The Great Sea. Divided in half by this river, the city used revolutionary duct lines and bridges to sew the city together. On one side was the business district; identified by the towering structures packed into grid-like streets and surrounded by winding overpasses. On the southern side was more for residents. High-rises forcing thousands together in tight, yet comfortable living spaces. Most living here only had to take one shuttle across the bridge or a metro line underneath the bay itself to get to their day job.

But that wasn't important. It wasn't important that the city was a gateway to the rest of the western continent of Corneria. Nor was it important that only a few thousand miles over The Great Sea separated Naval Bay from the capital of Lylat, Corneria City. No, what _was_ important was that Naval Bay had some damn good fudge.

Sitting across from each other at a small table overlooking the gridlock of traffic and civilians alike, off-duty pilots Fay and Miyu rested comfortably with their mid-day snack shared between the two sitting on the table. The spaniel and the lynx just needed a break from the handful of hours they spent standing on their feet, wandering all over the city. It was a nice off-day after all. Days like this were hard to come by.

Naval Bay's southern city plaza was a hub for tourists, shoppers, and virtually anyone who just wanted to have a fun time wandering around the city. Expensive designer shops, homemade meals, entertainment attractions; basically anything one could think of could be found within three blocks of the hub. The center was marked off with an impressive fountain surrounded by an elaborate stone design, all within a cross-section of some busy downtown streets. A place like this was corporate advertising heaven, hence why almost every available space along the buildings within the square were littered with electronic advertisement boards, bathing the square in lights other than the one straight above. It was a sight to behold at night, but the daytime sunlight lessened the impact of the screens.

Munching on their fudge, Miyu piped up, "Having fun?"

"Duh!" Fay excitedly replied. "Every day is a great day when we're together!"

"Cool," Miyu calmly nodded, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Cool?" Fay giggled. "That's all you have to say? Cool?"

"Y'know, cool," Miyu shrugged. "I think it's cool that you're enjoying yourself because it makes me feel like I'm doing something right."

"If you're _breathing_ you're doing something right," Fay immediately countered with a wide grin.

"Well, sure, but—"

Fay shoved a chunk of fudge into Miyu's mouth. "We're having an awesome vacation day with just the two of us like we always want!" Fay continued exuberantly. "And you're saying it's _cool_?"

"Wah'else 'm I suh'oss a say?" the lynx mumbled.

"What?"

She finished her forced bite. "What else do you want me to say?"

Fay shrugged. "I don't know, something better than just _cool_."

"I do think it's cool."

Fay groaned as Miyu just laughed.

"C'mon Fay, just be happy we're here."

"I am," she tried to argue.

"Cool."

"Oh my god Miyu," Fay just started giggling along with the lynx.

"Eat your fudge, girly."

Fay did as she was told and had another bite.

"So," the lynx started. "While we have our weekend off, what say you to a quick visit to some old friends tomorrow?"

Fay swallowed hard. "Fox isn't home yet. He won't be for a few days."

"How'd you know I was gonna say Fox?"

"I know about your little crush on him," Fay said with almost perfect sincerity.

Miyu scoffed. "Anyway, how'd you know?"

"About?"

"About Fox being gone? Even _I_ didn't know."

Fay exhaled sharply. "Star Fox is mainstream. Every little thing they do gets endless media coverage. I've wanted to talk to him forever but he's _always_ busy. Like, I kid you not, he's _always_ busy. He's off on jobs, he's saving the universe, he's taking media dates and sponsorship deals when he's not busy saving the universe, he does everything. What are we doing?"

"Eatin' fudge."

Fay groaned. "I miss Fox. He's such a nice guy and we get along with him so well."

"If I was making the amount of money he does for what he does, I wouldn't answer my messages either," Miyu remarked.

Fay sighed. "Still, he's our friend. Everyone on his team are our friends. I'm sad that we haven't gotten to catch up since… well, since before the Aparoids, and that was a while ago… It's been so long."

"I'm sure it'll be okay," Miyu assured her.

Fay smiled weakly. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"When am I not?"

Fay raised a brow. "You want me to answer that?"

"I'd rather you not."

They shared a laugh and finished up their snack.

Fay slipped out of her seat and stood behind Miyu. "So, where to—"

A deafening screech blew through the dual avenues, silencing anyone in its path and disturbing anything not totally bolted to the ground. Everyone within eyesight cupped their ears and ducked on pure instinct. Weak glass panes cracked.

Resulting from that detonation of sound was a dull, incessant static sound that kept everyone from talking to each other. In the mass confusion, a booming voice exploded:

"Do I have everybody's attention now?"

Everyone within those few city blocks stopped and looked at the advertisement screens suspended all around them. None of them displayed those flashy promotional videos and paid advertisements like everyone had grown accustomed to. All that the hundreds of screens showed off were either full of static from the boards resisting the takeover, or nothing but blackness to signify their loss to the omnipresent voice echoing over the plaza.

"Deception in this world is a common occurrence," the voice continued, seemingly reverberating with itself to give it an eerie echo. No other voice in the history of voices could even compare to the sound the frozen civilians were hearing. It didn't seem natural. It didn't seem real. It couldn't be real.

While the voice spoke, the screens began to pixelate and argue with its commands. Segments of newspaper articles, TV stations, and stories online flashed over each other, one after another, seemingly emptying a lifetime's worth of information in the span of a few short seconds. The speakers in the clips presented were drowned out except for a few choice words. The CDF. Corneria. The government. Lies. Deceit. Failure. Misleading. They all seemed to echo over one another as the screens warped, blurred, and argue̴d̶ w̶i̵t̸h̷ e̶x̴p̴u̷l̶s̷i̶o̴n̶s̴ o̷f̵ d̴i̵s̸c̷o̶n̶n̷e̴c̴t̵e̶d̴ c̸o̶l̷o̶r̶s̴ a̸n̸d̷ s̶t̷a̵t̸i̷c̷.

"Miyu…" Fay squeaked.

"I am one of those affected," the voice explained, words rolling through the plaza with an eerie, seemingly self-satisfactory drawl that could make military veterans' skin crawl. " _We_ were. Cast aside and ignored. Overshadowed. Lied to. Years have gone by without a mere mention of our struggles. We were deceived."

The giant screeñ̸̢s̸̲̀ b̸̪͝e̵̬̿g̵̩̏ȁ̶̩n̴͙̈́ t̵̯̉ȍ̵̘ w̷̭̕ĥ̵̺ị̶͘n̸̟͐ē̶̤ w̶̠̓ȉ̴̧ṯ̵̽h̵̛̤ d̷̝͝u̶̼̇ļ̷̏l̴̺̕ f̴̩̍e̸̓ͅedback. The static and̸ w̸a̴r̸p̵e̶d̷ c̶o̶l̷o̷r̴s̶ b̶e̸gan to intensify. The stunned and silenced in attendance could only watch.

"They try to cover it up and make it appear as though we have gotten what we needed. It's funny. Your powers-that-be tried to bend over backwards to give us everything we've ever wanted to get us to shut up… when all I've really wanted… was this. A platform. A voice to speak with. You see, this voice… _m̴y̵ v̵o̷i̷c̵e̸…̴ i̴s̷ p̵o̸w̶e̵r̶.̵ S̴i̷l̸e̷n̴_ cing a voice might as well just send someone to the depths of purgatory. We refuse to be silenced."

An eerie silence ensued, followed by an odd gust of wind. No, it couldn't be wind. Wind doesn't blow upwards like this seemed to do.

"… _I̵ r̷e̷f̴u̸s̸e̵ t̵_ o be silenced," the voice growled, the odd wind gusting at times. "I've g̷o̶t̷t̷e̴n̸ i̶n̷t̸o̸ h̷o̵t̵ w̸a̷t̷e̵r̴ b̸e̶f̵o̵r̷e̷.̷ I̵ w̸as silenced because of a few things I said... I didn't just get in trouble for leaking classified information…"

As the voice said this, the stat̷̹͋i̵͍̐c̶͉̆-̸̥̿f̴̳͛ì̵̗l̴̼̊l̸̖̇ě̶̡ḍ̷̋ s̵̫̒c̸̰͂r̴̰̽e̵̜̐ě̵ͅǹ̶̞s̸̨̚ b̷̘͌e̴̟͒g̸̘͑a̴̗͋ǹ̶̜ ṱ̷̈ò̸̟ f̵͇̒l̴͒ͅâ̶̠s̴̘͌ḥ̶͛ ä̶̡́ŕ̶̤t̶̼̅i̸̮͂c̶̓͜les and stories again, but brighter and fas̴t̷e̶r̴ t̵h̶a̷n̷ b̸e̴f̵ore. The screens seemed to follow the voice as it continued on its tirade.

"I didn't just get in trouble for trying to state my grievances with this world and the people who run it…"

Wor̴d̷s̸ f̷l̷a̸s̸hed on the screens. **Ţ̵̝͛͊y̷̥̤̠̒̀͠͝ř̶̳̯͚̭̈́̈̈̏ä̶̝̝́͌̀͑̚n̵̺͙̒t̵͈̒͌.̷̺̌̅ Ḋ̴̙̺̦̤̺̓̃͠i̷̱͘c̷̨̹̳͋́t̴̪̜̯̀̔̊͘ḁ̸̧̻̺̄̀͒̓t̵̺̱̺̺͂͗̏̃ỏ̶͕̯͚͒́͜r̵̨͛͊̅̕͝.̴͍̯̺̰͛ Ṣ̷͎̾̃́o̸̼̫͝ç̴̣̓͝i̶̼͘͝o̷̘̺̥̻̯͋̓͒̚p̴̱̤̯̒͌ă̴̻͇̞͉t̸̙̗̏̓̑̆̕͜ḣ̷͉͋̀̕͘.̸͖̠͕̌̅̏̆͝** The wind grew stronger.

"I didn't just get in trouble because of my attitude. Oh no. That would just be too easy."

 **A̴̢͈̯̻̥͆̈́ṷ̸̫̻͊t̸͎͎̓͐́ò̶̝̞̯̚c̵̲̙̄ŕ̸̤͍̂̈́͋á̸͙̖͚̽̽t̶̢͈̗̀͛͋͝.̴͔̈́̾ S̸̬̓͆̑̈̔ĩ̷̬́l̴̜̗̍̐̐͘e̶̪̙̭͇͌̓́͘n̴̡̩̜͓̆̑̈́̓̋ͅc̵̨̪̲̟͙̓̽̽ȇ̵̩͓͓͖͔̇̃͝d̶͔͑̾̏̈́̕.̶̻͓̱̀** Newspapers, trash, and light objects started floating into the sky.

"I got in trouble because… I jų̵̄s̶͕̈́t̵̨͋ h̷̳̚ad the idea to s̵a̷y̵ s̶o̷m̴e̵t̸h̴i̷n̵g̷ t̸h̴a̴t̶ n̷o̶b̴o̵d̵y̸ e̶l̵s̸e̸ w̴i̷l̷l̶ s̷a̴y̶ o̵u̶t̷ l̵o̶u̷d̴."

 **C̶̺̾̈́e̴̩͌͌n̵͓͐̐s̶͓͐o̸̩̯̍ŕ̴͎̎ͅe̷͕͌̽d̵̟̤̉̀.̴̗̏̓ S̷͇̯̎h̵̨͆u̵͙͐t̴̢͖͊ d̷̗̣̑ȍ̵͖̗w̸̲͝ǹ̵̼.̵̢͕̂͘ I̴͔̬̎̿ğ̷͔ṋ̷̃ò̷͇̏ř̸͜ͅȩ̴̔̓d̵̫̃̍.̵̡͒͠** The ground below seemed a bit lighter than it was five minutes ago.

"M̶y̶ v̶o̴i̶c̶e̶ i̵s̷ p̵o̷w̵e̴r̸.̵ T̵h̴e̷ k̸n̷o̷w̶ l̶̶̴e̵̷̵d̸̷̵g̸̷̶e̷̷̶ I̵̶̵ h̵̵̶a̵̵̷v̴̷̷e̸̶̷ i̸̸̷s̷̸̶ p̸̷̴o̴̴̶w̸̸̶e̴̸̴r̶̵̴.̵̷̶ I̶̸̷ a̶̴̴m̷̷̵ t̵̴̸h̷̷̶e̴̷̵ v̸̴̷o̶̸̴i̶̶̶c̵̶̸e̷̷̸ f̷̸̴o̵̸̷r̶̴̶ t̴̶̸h̸̸̶e̶̴̷ v̸̶̴o̸̷̶i̴̸̸c̷̵̷e̸̷̵l̷̶̶e̵̴̷s̷̷̷s̶̴̸.̴̶̸ Y̶̵̷o̴̴̵u̸̵̶ m̸̴̵a̸̵̴y̶̵̵ n̶̸̸o̶̵̷t̶̶̸ k̷̴̵n̷̸̴o̷̶̵w̶̸̸ m̴̷̵e̵̶̷ b̵̶̵y̷̶̸ n̴̴̸a̷̸̵m̴̷̴e̵̶̵,̴̷̴ w̴̴̸h̵̶̴a̴̵̵t̸̷̶ I̴̵̶ l̷̴̷o̴̴̶o̷k̸ l̶i̸k̵e̴,̵ o̷r̵ w̵h̴o̵ i̸t̶ i̴s̸ I̴ t̸r̸u̶l̸y̶ b̴e̷l̶i̷e̸v̴e̵ i̶n̷."

 **Y̶̮͛o̷̼̓͠ṵ̷͉̄ w̸̙̭͛i̵̲̭͋l̶̘̰̚͠l̶̖̿ l̴̠͉͌̒ì̶͕s̶̪̃̚t̷͚͋e̸̯̊ń̴̜͖.̴͕̮̀**

"B̸u̵t̷ o̵n̵e̷ t̵h̴i̷n̸g̷ i̷s̶ f̴o̴r̵ s̸u̵r̷e̶.̸ F̵o̴r̸ t̷h̸o̷ s̴͕͐ḙ̶͛ ẁ̴͕ḣ̸̨o̷̖̕ w̷̬̾ḁ̶̃ǹ̶͕t̸͍͌ t̶̬̔o̶̡̍ ḷ̷͂ī̵ͅs̶̙̎t̸̬̉e̴͈̎n̴͎͌ ú̴̺p̷̫̂ t̶͙̾h̶͗ͅe̸̖̕r̵͖͗e̵̼͝…̵̠̑ Ī̶̡ w̶̨̿à̸̩n̷̹̓ẗ̷͉ a̸͚͝ñ̴͓ a̴̭͝p̶̧̈́ö̶͖l̵̘͛ő̶͓g̷͠ͅy̷̮̌ f̴̹̈́õ̴̻ṙ̶̜ t̶̥͑h̶̟͘e̵͓͗ h̷̢̉ĕ̸̦ḻ̴̂ĺ̵̺ y̶͓͘o̵̻̿ũ̷̖ ḥ̵̓ã̷͜v̴͇̚ḙ̶̈́ p̷͔̀ǘ̵͈t̷̠͂ ṵ̶̌s̵̠̀ t̸̥͒ḧ̷͙r̷̫͊ő̶̮u̷͍͑g̷͉̏h̷̰͊,̷͕̄ I̴̤̐ ẃ̷̬ă̴͔ṇ̸̅t̸̟͛ a̵̻̚ v̴̧̓ö̸͍́i̶͈͂c̷̖͗e̷̹̓ t̶̜̅o̷̝̓ u̴͌ͅs̶̀ͅe̶,̴ a̷n̵d̶ I̷ w̷a̸n̴t̶ a̸ l̴i̵f̷e̴ t̵o̸ l̵i̸v̵e̸.̵ I̶ w̸a̷n̴t̴ t̵h̵i̴s̵ c̵o̵r̵r̶u̷p̵t̵i̴o̷n̸ t̸o̷ e̵n̵d̵,̶ a̵n̴d̷ u̶n̴t̵i̷l̷ t̴h̵a̵t̷ h̶a̷p̸p̶e̴n̵s̷…̷"

The voice just laughed.

 **P̶̧̨͚̣͙̤͕̝̖̱̫̳̟̞̩̰̤͇̝̮̖͕̦͕͕̠̎̆̋̅̈́͗̌̊͜͜ͅͅą̵̡̡̖̪͍̣̣͖̭͖̦͆̏̀͑̌̌́̒̑̅͆͑̇̌́͛̏̈̓̋͐͂͘ý̷͔̺͐͋̿̋́̑̽̓͑́̈̒̏̃̂̽̅͋̏ͅḅ̵̧̧̢̝̙̰̫̯͍͇̣͖̩̣͚̺͑͂̿̄̊͌̀̅͒̐̾̅̽̑̊̑̔̀͌̓́͗̄̍̕͝ã̴̧̡̧̛̛̳͚̞̖̱̲̪̹͖̟͓̰̖̹̙͖͓̖̱̰̬̮̣̼̙͈̭̟̑̀̈̉̓̑̆̑͑͌͆̅̌̓̓̎̔́͜͠͠ͅc̷̨̛̞̬̩̟̻̪͎̭̖̙̥͇̖̮̼̠̯̻̺̗̺̝̭͗̌̌̔̈́̓̀̈̎̽̎̃̉̎̀͘͠ͅk̸̟̗̤͇̦̣̃́̂͛̄̑̓̃͆.̶̨̧͕̲̖̩̗̣͚̣̪͎̩̘͇̻̟̘̫̭̥̫̤̝̌͊̌͌͑̃̿̈́̆̃́̔̓̑̀̉͒͋̄̄͂̾̂̀̈́̉̏́͜͝͠ͅ**

"̷͖̐T̴̟̄h̷͕͆e̷͂͜n̵̟͛ j̷̬̚ṳ̶͒s̵̜̈́t̵̳̀ k̷̯͐ë̷̩́ẽ̸̗p̷̼̋ s̴̋ͅa̴͚͘ÿ̴̧́i̴̹̊n̷͚͘g̴͈͐ g̸͔̉ȏ̷͕ǫ̷̆d̸̝͝ b̶̰̍y̷͇̅ê̴͉.̵͔̏"̵͉̔

The screens died out in a flurry of sparks and static. Almost as soon as the voice went offline, the world itself seemed to get turned upside down. Everything within sight, no matter how big, how small, how meaningless, or how important they were, lifted into the air. Gravity completely reversed. Everyone was just too baffled to let out screams and cries for help as the sky tried to swallow everyone whole. Miyu and Fay both seemed to float up into the sky as Naval Bay itself seemed to fall into the abyss of the sun's rays.

Then just like that, slammed back down.

The wind got knocked out of both girls as gravity decided to be normal again. What followed was a sonic boom of millions of panes of glass, cars, large objects, and thousands of people all feeling the reestablished effects of gravity all at once. A bomb sounded as glass from every building within two blocks shattered and unleashed an avalanche upon every single fallen Cornerian. Then people regained their senses and started to scream. The combined sound was purely deafening.

Dazed, Miyu climbed to her feet first and started helping others up. Sirens began to blare. The city square became engulfed in the flashing lights of law enforcement checking out the surreal incident.

It didn't seem real.

Miyu met back up with Fay and gave her a tight hug. The canine started crying.

"Yeah, time to call Fox."


	2. 0 — Finite

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 0 []**

 _ **Exordium**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 2**

 _Finite_

 **Ξ**

* * *

The light remnants of last night's thunderstorm provided a calming ambience for the waking vulpine. It came to nobody's surprise that he still felt tired. While his sleep was lengthy and deep at times, storms that come in off the southern coast always seem to keep him from getting fully rested because of how the wind blows against the glass. Opting for a high-rise apartment with predominantly glass for the western wall might not have been a good idea in that regard, but for everything else it provided, he could take a restless night every so often. Yet… that _one_ day he really needed a night of full, uninterrupted rest had to happen during a storm.

Last mission was a very exhausting ordeal for Fox and for his teammates. Just thinking about it while swimming in his sheets and covers made his head spiral. He lost count of how many days he spent in the confides of his Arwing, patrolling a vague area with little instruction. It wasn't tiring because of the action. It was tiring because it was boring. Recon missions like this never were his style… but he wasn't one just to take jobs solely for the payout. It acted as a cooldown for the year prior; the Aparoids and that whole debacle. But this mission was such a harsh change of pace that his mind was yearning for a break by the end of it.

He blacked out by the time he got back to his apartment in Corneria City, and upon waking up and taking that first look at the clock, he realized he slept for a solid sixteen hours. It was past four in the afternoon. Surely he'd feel rested after a night like that, but as previously covered, he still woke with a foggy mind, aching bones, and an urge to fall right back asleep again.

Careful not to wake the sleeping vixen at his side, Fox rolled out of the covers and stretched. Scratching the underside of his muzzle, he groggily stepped over to the window and looked out. An overcast sky greeted his eyes, with streaks of rain obscuring his window. The waves at the coast seemed calm, so there wasn't any reason to worry.

Fox blinked, then did a double-take back at his bed. Why was Krystal sleeping there? She had her own room in the apartment for a reason. But she looked so comfortable; he couldn't bring himself to wake her and ask why. Surely there was a good reason for it.

He turned back to the rain-streaked window, and just managed to catch his blurry reflection. Wide-eyed, he looked down and saw nothing but his fur pelt. He immediately blushed bright red and scavenged the floor of his bedroom for his clothes, mindful to be as quiet as he could so Krystal didn't wake up and see him like this. All he could find was his nylon flight jacket draped across the headboard. Completely embarrassed, he gingerly tied the jacket around his waist. All he could do was tuck his bushy tail between his legs and sneak out into the living room.

One of the benefits he received from aiding in the Apariod crisis was a very luxurious, almost penthouse-style apartment just north of downtown Corneria City. Its location left it a gorgeous view of The Great Sea and miles and miles of coastline feebly trying to encompass it. The reason Fox accepted this gift was because of its close proximity to the airfield where the Great Fox normally rested. In fact, he could see it from the eastern side of the building, seeing as though he was almost 80 stories up in the air. Looked like it was still getting cleaned up.

But where were his clothes?

His bedroom, along with the two other bedrooms and one of the bathrooms, sat comfortably along a balcony overlooking the spacious living room. The balcony gently curved to Fox's left, where a staircase granted him access to the bottom floor. The balcony was supported by two columns, which—in turn—helped create a cove for the kitchen to reside in. The wide-open living room tried to fill itself with a few couches, a nice rug overtop the hardwood floors, a table, and some simple decorations and plant life (the latter of which needing desperate help), but it still felt spacious and open. The elevator he took down to the ground floor sat nestled underneath the stairs. The entire eastern, southern, and western sides of the apartment were sealed in with total floor-to-ceiling windows, leaving him with a breathtaking view of Corneria City. Overall, a very elegant, yet comfortable place to live when he wasn't touring the galaxy.

But where the hell were his clothes?

Much to his dismay, he found them strewn about the place once he got to the main floor. Both his and Krystal's boots and shoes were where they needed to be, but everything else he found after it only added to his anxiety. His undershirt draped across the back of the couch. His flight suit pants in a pile near the eastern window. One sock on the stairs, the other just barely hanging off the rug.

Then he started to panic. He saw Krystal's flight suit not too far away from his. Her delicates were haphazardly strewn about the room too. He started to panic when he couldn't find his boxers. The one thing he didn't ever want was for her to see him completely naked and not having a single idea how he got to that state.

"What happened yesterday?" he started to murmur to keep his composure. He wandered around the room, his hind claws clicking on the hardwood as he tried to think back but only coming back with nothing. Giving up his search in favor of regaining his decency, he climbed back up the stairs towards his bedroom.

As far as he knew he didn't throw a party. But it just seems like a faded blur of a memory now. Nothing could come to him. He properly blacked out, which was funny because he never drank, nor ever wanted alcohol at his place. It was all so weird. Why couldn't he remember—

"Fox?"

"Krystal!" the vulpine shouted, snapping himself into reality by knifing his arms down in front of his poorly concealed privates.

The vixen rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Did you see the time?" she murmured, looking like she was still half asleep. "I can't believe I slept for that long…"

Fox's blush returned. "I-I-I can explain! Er, a-actually I-I-I can't explain, b-but I-I've got a g-good reason! I-I-I-I swear!"

"Why're you acting so funny?" Krystal asked tiredly, dragging herself out of the doorway. Despite her clothes being downstairs, she improvised by wearing one of Fox's shirts and…

Fox's eyes rolled. "There's my boxers," he muttered aloud, then clamped his muzzle shut… for all of a second before swiftly reaching to hide his indecency again. His cross-armed, wide-eyed, face full of embarrassment scene made Krystal blink, contort her face to keep from giggling, before failing in a spectacular explosion of howling laughter.

"Krystal that's not funny!" the golden vulpine whined, properly looking like an exasperated, humiliated teenage girl.

"I'm wearing… your underwear," she choked through hysterical laughter before collapsing in a proper giggle-fit.

"Krystal!" he pleaded on deaf ears. "Come on, Krys, I can't remember anything and this isn't helping."

She just laughed harder.

"Krystal, please, this is serious," Fox continued to whine until her giggling eventually turned into coughing. Hacking with gross intensity was what finally got her episode to subside.

The Cerinian finally composed herself and stood back up. "Why?" she asked while wiping tears away from her eyes, an occasional chuckle slipping through her teeth. "What happened?"

"I don't know; I woke up naked with you in my bed. I'm as clueless as you are." Fox almost cringed with embarrassment as he spoke.

"I can't remember what happened either," Krystal admitted sheepishly.

"I'm so embarrassed," grumbled Fox.

"Aww, Foxy," purred the vixen. "Tell you what, let's just start over and pretend today hasn't happened yet. I won't say a word to anybody."

Fox blinked.

"Don't look so shocked," she giggled again. "Foxy, we all have those kinds of days. Let's just… forget about it."

"Kinda hard to forget about it when I'm standing butt naked in front of you."

"Why didn't you just get a different pair?"

"Our clothes are still getting cleaned; we used them all during the mission, Remember? You had to borrow clothes from me the last couple of days because you didn't have enough."

"Oh…" she smirked. "I remember, your boxers are super soft, which is probably why I'm wearing them."

"Can… I have them back?"

Krystal shrugged and dropped them to the floor. The poor vulpine's eyes grew wider than dinner plates, and he swore that he felt blood drip from his nose.

Knowing all too well of what she did, she faked a gasp and added, "Oh, you didn't mean here. Sorry." Still, the vixen shook them off, picked them back up, and laid them overtop his muzzle while he continued to stand there in pure shock. She walked past and disappeared into her room, tail happily swaying in her wake.

Completely running on auto-pilot, Fox redressed himself just in time for Krystal to come back out wearing her bath robe. He couldn't keep eye contact with her. He'd blush too bad to keep focused. Krystal actually felt a little guilty, knowing all too well she caused his skittish reactions. Poor little awkward Foxy.

Looking at the floor, the vulpine mumbled, "So, restart, right?"

"Sure," answered Krystal, though unconvincingly.

Even though Fox was way too embarrassed to form a sentence, he still managed to reply, "Sure?"

Krystal exhaled. "I mean, I kinda just wanted to keep going, but you were acting uncomfortable so I stopped before it got weird. I… I'm sorry if what I did wasn't appropriate; I should know better by now."

"Well… don't beat yourself up over it," suggested a flustered Fox.

"No, I really should know better. It was funny at first but then it got weird and I don't want to do that to you."

She breathed out of her nose and pressed her back against the wall. "I don't remember what happened last night either, but I wasn't going to let that affect the mood. I wanted to half fun with you, just for once. We're always on missions and working as teammates but I never get that time to relax back here and have fun."

"We have time now," interrupted Fox.

"No, we _did_ , then I made it awkward," she huffed at herself.

"Well if you think I didn't like it, then you'd be wrong," Fox blushed again. _Smooth_.

"I just thought it would be a good idea to just be myself," Krystal looked at him again. "I'm tired of being uptight and professional every day because of missions and all that. I'm tired of playing this character that isn't me. I'm tired of being someone else that I _know_ I'm not when I'm around someone that deserves to see the real side of me."

She looked like she was about to cry, so Fox stepped in to comfort her.

"I just wanted to try to not be so… professional," she added. "That's all you see me as ever since you trained me to be who I am right now."

Fox forced an awkward chuckle. "Well if that was your unprofessional side just now, I'd like to see more." _Smooth_ , _again_.

She giggled and playfully pushed him. "I just don't want to be so awkward and self-conscious anymore. Being cooped up on the ship doesn't help." The vixen hesitated for a second or two. "Maybe we ought to not be so professional around each other. Loosen up a bit. Act like true friends instead of teammates. You are one of my best friends after all."

"I'd be okay with that," Fox answered. _The hat trick of smooth_.

She grinned. "Well, considering how we woke up this morning and how we don't remember last night… I think I have an idea of what might've happened… And, well, I'm glad it was with you and not anyone else."

Fox blushed harder than he had ever done, which was saying something indeed. As cliché as it appeared, he noticed Krystal had that look in her eyes that he had only seen once before. That day he saved her. Damn it, if you're gonna do it, just do it already. He leaned forward, relieved that she did the same, then just waited for that explosive moment where all of their fears and trepidations would be nothing more than distant memories—

And then Fox's phone rang. The vulpine flinched so violently that he bolted his head straight up; crushing his nose against the vixen's head. They both yipped in pain and surprise, each showcasing a set of cheeks glowing bright. One exchange of awkward, sheepish chuckles later, Fox slipped into his bedroom and answered his phone.

"McCloud speaking," he answered as firmly as he could. At that moment, he realized that his nose began to drip with blood.

"Fox! It's Peppy!"

He sighed in relief. "Krys, can you grab me a towel?" he spoke away from the receiver, then turned back to reply, "Oh, hey Pep. Good to hear from you again."

"Why do you need Krys to get ya a towel, Foxy?" Peppy started to jokingly tease the vulpine. "Did I interrupt anything fun?"

"You could say that," Fox muttered. "No, Krystal and I just had… an accident. Busted my nose up a bit."

"So I _did_ interrupt your fun," he cooed.

"Peppy, no, it's not—"

"No, no; you don't have to explain," Peppy chuckled. "I've been in that same place too, probably close to thirty years ago now. Just remember that your first little one will come quicker than you'll ever expect, so always be prepared."

"Peppy, no!" Fox pleaded. "I swear, that's not what happened."

"Oh…" Peppy laughed to himself. "Well, anyway; back on subject. Listen, I know we just had you do a long recon job, and we promised that we'd give you an ample amount of time to recuperate, but—"

"No…" Fox pressed the towel to his nose, making his voice sound masked and nasally. "No, no, no, Peppy, no. No buts. We need that time off."

"Fox, listen to me," Peppy's voice became deathly serious. "I understand that, but things can come up and come up quick. We need you at HQ as soon as possible."

"Peppy, you and Pepper gave your word."

"We know, and we wouldn't be contacting you if—"

"If you _wouldn't_ be, then obviously it's not important."

"Fox," Peppy emphasized with a long pause. "We wouldn't be contacting you if we didn't need you. I mean it. Come to HQ as soon as you can. Pepper and I will fill you in."

"No," Fox snapped back. "You and Pepper gave your word. I'm not taking on another mission until the time we all requested for our breaks is complete. We all agreed. I'm not letting you walk back on a promise again."

Krystal poked her head into the doorway. "Fox, what's wrong?"

"Put me on speaker," Peppy commanded.

"Fine," sighed Fox, agreeing to the hare's demand. "Say hi to Peppy, Krys."

"Hi Peppy," she replied with a grin.

"Hey there sweetie," Peppy greeted warmly. "Listen, I need you guys. We _all_ need you guys."

Even Krystal looked skeptical. "You need us? Peppy, didn't you say that you'd give us a lot of time off—"

"I know what I said," Peppy interrupted with a grunt. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. I hate walking back on a promise, but like I said, I need you guys. We need Star Fox."

"Why?" the vixen asked.

"Come to HQ," Peppy answered. "I can't give all this info over the phone. Please."

Fox wouldn't answer; he just continued no nurse his bloody nose. Krystal, however, snatched the phone out of Fox's hand and replied, "Okay. We'll be there when we can."

"Bless your soul," Peppy breathed. "I'll see you then."

As the call dropped, Fox angrily growled, "What the hell? I thought you wanted that time off!"

"Fox, come on," argued Krystal. "Peppy isn't one to break his promises unless he has a very good reason to."

"And giving into someone—no matter who it is—just because they beg and plead is a good way to get ourselves into a lot of trouble." Fox snatched his phone back.

"Fox," the vixen scoffed.

"I don't care if it was Peppy or not; it's not our responsibility to wait on the CDF when we were promised paid leave," Fox elaborated as if Krystal only had half a working brain. "We don't bend over backwards to take their jobs. _They_ must meet _our_ standards. We've done enough work for them to justify this."

"Since when do you act so selfish?" she retorted.

"It's not being selfish."

Krystal scoffed and walked away. As she walked out the door, she added, "I'm going to see Peppy."

"He's not gonna want to talk to you unless I'm there too," Fox stated matter-of-factly.

It wasn't even a second before Krystal popped back into view. Staring the vulpine down with pure intensity, she walked right up to him so that they were literally eye-to-eye. Fox felt a little intimidated at the vixen's sudden change of tone. With a voice clear and soft as could be, keeping her eyes locked on his, she spoke:

"I will let you sleep with me all night long, until dawn tomorrow if needed, if you stop acting like a child and come with me to see Peppy. Deal?"

Just when Fox's nose seemed fine, another rush of blood escaped out onto the towel.

"I'll take that as a yes," she merely giggled, tail slipping underneath Fox's chin as she turned around and trotted out the door. With newfound interest, Fox mindlessly followed her.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

It only took a few minutes for the duo to change into their usual mercenary attire. Ever since they dispatched the Aparoids, Krystal turned in her suit that Falco often referred to as "fetish material" for a suit much like what Fox wore, only hers was a deep shade of violet. She also decided to mimic Fox by wrapping a light orange scarf around her neck, tucked into a white jacket. Practical? Probably not, but she loved the way the outfit looked on Fox, so she tried her hand at replicating it.

The vixen never got tired of the drive to HQ. Fox's SUV provided a smooth, quiet journey in and around the capital city's streets, while Krystal just stared out of the window, taking in the sights as the vehicle replicated its usual route. From the tower Fox's penthouse resided, he could easily hop on the coastal interstate that traced the edge of The Great Sea. From there he'd pass over the river delta emptying out into the westward sea, crossing four different bridges in his path. Once onto the main eastbound street after exiting the interstate, it was a straight shot east to HQ.

At the stoplight just after the interstate exit ramp, Krystal's stomach angrily growled at her. She responded by turning to Fox and saying, "Fox, I'm hungry."

"Well we haven't eaten since last night," Fox replied, glancing at his dashboard. "And it's five in the afternoon now. About time for dinner."

"What's for dinner?" she asked.

"Everything back home is probably spoiled. And I don't feel like going grocery shopping."

"Can we go out to eat?" the vixen asked like an excited kid.

Fox smiled. "Where do you want to go?"

Barely letting him finish, Krystal blurted out, "Harvey's."

Fox's eyebrows furrowed. "Really? You'd rather go eat at a diner than out a great, fancy restaurant with amazing, elegant food and—"

Krystal narrowed her eyes. "Where would _you_ rather go?"

Fox sighed, ears falling flat. "Harvey's."

"It's good comfort food to come back home to," Krystal added.

"Yeah, you're right. We'll go there after this meeting."

"Great."

A handful of minutes passed before Fox's SUV pulled into his designated parking space at HQ. The duo then walked into the main doors and immediately set course for the briefing room in the middle of HQ. Interior and out, the CDF's main headquarters mirrored the same sort of style that the rest of Corneria City's architecture followed. Sleek, modern, silver and white metal formed smooth lines and angles, while sheets of glass filled in the gaps.

The two foxes stopped at the locked door of the briefing room after passing through several secured gateways. It was marked as closed, with no scheduled times listed on it.

"I thought Peppy said _as soon as possible_ ," Fox mumbled, fumbling with his wallet.

"Have you ever known the old man to be on time?" a voice broke in from behind them, scaring the two out of their fur. Laughing at their reaction, he continued, "Whoa, hey now; sensitive ears. I knew you didn't like my voice but that's a bit harsh."

Fox shook his head. "I never said I didn't like your voice, Falco. And not to be rude, but why are you here?"

The tall, blue avian scoffed. "Well, fur-ball; I do happen to be a part of this _illustrious_ mercenary team," Falco put on a fake voice to sound like he was introducing a fight. "And unlike you, I like to do some mercenary jobs every now and again. You know, for money. Because this is, you know, our job?"

Fox caught the tone in his voice. "I did negotiate a period of paid leave before that last mission," he retorted. "So you literally could have been _paid_ for sitting on your ass and playing Administrator's Fight Island."

Falco blinked. "Wait… So why are we here then?"

"Peppy told Krys and I that it was extremely important business." At the mention of her name, Krystal poked out and waved at the bird. Falco smirked and gave her a simple wave back. "Told us he wouldn't call us if he didn't need us."

"Isn't there… like, twenty other mercenary groups that could've taken this?" Falco asked with a hint of impatience. "If you negotiated leave, why were we the first to get called in?"

"Fox already had this conversation," Krystal butted in. "Believe me, I'm just as confused."

Falco huffed, rolling his eyes as he fished for his keycard in his flight suit pocket. "Might as well wait for the old man to get here," he said, swiping his ID on the receiver. A gentle beep answered the swipe, followed by the metallic door sliding open.

Fox's eyes narrowed after Falco entered the room; the sensors activating the lights overhead and retracting the blinds over the window to the courtyard. "How did he get…" he started, then shook his head. "Not even gonna ask," he finished, following Krystal inside.

The hexagonal hologram table hummed in activation as Falco took a seat. The hologram table sat in its own place a few steps below the ground, while a ring of chairs resembling lecture hall desks surrounded the similar shape of the steps. A set of lights mirrored that of the ground floor; inset into the ceiling with the same hexagonal shape. Falco sat along the left wall, crossing his leg as he slumped into the seat.

While Fox took the seat to the left of Falco, Krystal stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Huh…" she remarked to herself, though both Fox and Falco could hear since the room was so quiet. "That's… odd."

"What is?" Fox inquired.

"That you two haven't kissed yet?" Falco commented into his shoulder, meriting a backhand across his chest and a glare from the vulpine.

Krystal seemed to ignore both of them as she slowly pressed a few digits to her forehead.

"Krys, what's wrong?" Fox said, a little louder this time.

"There's… another?"

The door opened. As expected, Peppy was the first to enter. He looked incredibly well with that new Cornerian General attire, almost as if his entire existence led him to wearing that uniform. That iconic fatherly-like smile accompanied his presence as he walked over to Fox and Falco to chat.

Behind him was a new face, one that kept Krystal from giving her greetings to the hare. A young vixen, much smaller than both her and Fox. With a slim, toned frame, she looked incredibly agile and athletic, helped by the fact her hands, forearms, and ankles were wrapped in white tape as if she had just finished training. That's not what caught Krystal's attention. What did was that this vixen was blue. A pale sky blue, like the sky early in the afternoon of a clear spring day. Her hair shimmered a pale silver, bound on the very top of her head so the rest spilled down onto her shoulder. A shorter patch of it stayed free from the bound mass, lazily drooping over her left eye. An eye that almost seemed to glow through the hair…

"What…?" Krystal breathed, eyes unmoving and unblinking.

"Aw, sweet!" the new vixen exclaimed with energy. Her voice sounded like she was only twelve years old, but also smoked a pack of cigarettes every week or so. Gritty at times, but mostly exuberant and full of life. She sped up to Krystal and examined her up close; taped tail wagging in her wake. "Dude, Peppy, you never said that Krystal was, like, a _real_ hecking Cerinian! Gods above; this is awesome!"

The vixen's vibrant tone attracted the guys on the other side of the room. Krystal, however, was still completely frozen in shock as the other vixen continued to study her.

"Osprey, dear, compose yourself," Peppy spoke up.

"Alright, alright, fine," the young Cerinian huffed, backing off a step or two before outstretching her taped hand. Krystal gingerly held hers out for the vixen to grab and shake strongly. "Aww, look at you! Hard to believe you've been in Star Fox for the past two years."

Fox nudged Peppy. "Uh, who's this you brought with?"

The sky blue vixen spun around and looked at Fox with an oddly dissatisfied sneer. Her yellow-green eyes decided to intensify to a pure yellow for a few seconds as she slipped over to Fox's side. Then she blinked, and her eyes returned to normal.

"Remilia," she answered the vulpine calmly, holding out her paw just as she did to Fox. "Or Miss Osprey if you want to go with what the agency gave me as a surname. But please, Remi is preferred."

"What's with your eyes?" Falco awkwardly questioned, flinching when Remi's neck snapped over to look at him. Fox was intrigued. As if her nose bled into her fur, the sides of her muzzle sported symmetrical black stripes which spanned all the way down her slender vulpine muzzle, stopping just before her eyes. At that point, the stripes formed an almost perfect Z shape before tapering off just before the bones in her cheeks. The underside of her muzzle trailing down her neck was a pearly white, much like both Krystal and Fox. It looked almost like she painted in how she wanted her fur to look.

Remi didn't answer, instead opting to swiftly bolt over to Krystal with simple, yet elegant grace. "You've never seen another Cerinian, have you?"

"No…" was all Krystal could answer with.

"Heck. Then they got to you too," Remi growled to herself, knifing back over to Fox as if she was physically unable to stand in one place for more than a second. "How long have you known her?"

"Remi, relax for a second," Peppy pleaded. "You'll have plenty of time to get to know each other after this meeting."

Remi nodded her head. In one smooth motion, she hopped atop the thin border of the hologram table, leapt across the room with a wild corkscrew twist—mainly just to show off, then caught herself with her hands before spinning into an open chair. A proud smirk creased her muzzle as she folded her legs onto the seat.

Falco blinked.

"Okay, bear with me guys," Peppy started, booting up the device in the center of the room. "I've got a bit to cover but I'll try to make it quick." Krystal wandered over to Remi and sat beside her, seemingly unbothered by her eccentric behavior. She was much too curious about her to care.

"So…" Krystal awkwardly started. "I'm… not the only one?"

Remi laughed. "Not hardly, sweetie. Nor am _I_ the _other_. There's a lot of us out there… which is why we needed you guys to get here."

Krystal nearly choked on her breath. "What?" she managed to get out.

"Yes, Remi is right," Peppy sighed. "Krystal, it turns out you're not the only Cerinian left in Lylat. Unfortunately, it seems like you and Remi _should_ have been the only ones left alive."

Fox coughed while Falco made an odd, shocked noise through his beak.

Peppy wandered over to Fox. "Have you heard about what happened in Naval Bay a few days ago?"

Fox, still recovering from his involuntary coughing fit, sputtered, "I remember hearing about it but I didn't know what happened."

"Neither do we," Peppy stated bluntly. "We saw what happened. We observed what happened. But nobody in the entire CDF can tell us why it happened." He paused for a second, before turning to Remi. "Except for one."

Remi made an odd face that pretty much summed up her discontent about being put into the spotlight. She rose from her seat, then abruptly dashed over to Fox and Falco; her taped hind paws sliding along the ceramic tile floor. Fox flinched, thinking the vixen would jump on him. Luckily, she stopped just before them, tail wagging wildly behind her.

Remi's tall, black vulpine ears fell flat. "Alas, I must tell you that it's some of my people causing this disturbance," she relayed with a somber tone, brushing hair out of her eyes. "Unfortunate, I know, but unavoidable it appears to be."

"I didn't even know there were more Cerinians left alive," admitted Fox. "I thought it was just Krystal."

Remi clicked her tongue and repeatedly pointed at Fox, slowly backing away from him until her fluffy tail butted against the console. "That comment right there is exactly why," she explained. "Cerinians—in my experience, I should say—had been thought to be extinct, yes. This ignorance, or failure to inform—however you may take this—is exactly the reason why they are starting to pop up now."

Before anyone could comment, she turned around sharply and pointed at Krystal. "Notice how I say _they_. _They_ are causing this. I say _they_ because, well… Grouping people such as Krystal or myself with Cerinians who act and behave like—for instance, what you now understand from me saying it was _indeed_ a Cerinian behind the Naval Bay incident… I'd consider it insulting, and Krystal: you should too."

Remi grabbed her wrist and stretched her thin arms above her head. Fox saw two pure white tribal tattoos much like the ones Krystal had underneath her arms. More seemed to flow around her sides and down her back, but the CDF's uniform gray tank top and heavy navy blue trousers kept the rest of her markings hidden.

After her vocal stretch, she trotted over and sat in the empty seat next to Fox. "So, Fox—love the _oh-so original_ name by the way—" she teased with a cute sneer that Fox just rolled his eyes at. Remi seemed to take exception to the gesture and abruptly grabbed Fox's muzzle to force eye-contact. Her grip, while delicate, was abnormally strong and intimidating for someone of her stature. "I'd appreciate your attention," she commented with a sort of playful intensity in her tone. "Situations like this are no time nor place to be rolling your cute little eyes at."

She released his face before spinning out of her seat, fluffy tail lagging behind her motions by a second. "Now, as much as I'd like to say that the Cerinians are alive and well long after Cerinia has been destroyed, I regretfully cannot say this. Krystal, dear, can you recall what happened to our beloved homeworld?"

Krystal shook her head. "No. I have no memory of Cerinia."

Remi giggled. "I knew that would be your answer; I set you up," she giddily bobbed her head for a moment before regaining her composure. "Ask any Cerinian not a part of this odd uprising of sorts left over—which, I should preface that you actually _can't_ because they're all dead now," she sheepishly laughed before continuing, "They will not recall. Why is that?"

She started staring at Krystal, eyes beginning to glow again. "The Alphas erased everyone's memory, before gathering up those they considered to be worthy fighters and defenders of the Cerinian race, then leaving the rest to die on a crumbling planet."

Fox blinked. "Excuse me?"

Her composure simmered down again, as well as the pigment in her eyes. Ignoring the vulpine, she asked, "Krystal, dear, how did you escape? Moreover, how did you survive? I say this with complete objectivity, but surely someone of your nobility would have been slaughtered on sight."

Krystal nearly gasped. "Wait, what? Nobility?"

Remi let out a giggle again. "Your jewelry was not inherited from strangers," she pointed at the necklace around her neck, her gems clinging to her hair, and the bands around her wrists and tail. "You were clearly part of a noble family, yes. Which one, I cannot remember."

"How do you know?"

Remi tapped her forehead. "They may have wiped out everyone's memory, but they didn't get all of mine. Some of the Paladins in charge of covering tracks deemed me too… _unstable_ to try to wipe my entire memory." Her eyes seemed to flash at the word _unstable_.

Fox shuddered. "Should I be afraid?"

"Of course not," Remi assumed a toothy smile.

Fox wasn't convinced. "Anything else I should—"

"So yes, I don't know everything about our homeworld," she started explaining to Krystal, while Fox threw up his arms in defeat. "I regretfully can't tell you what the flowers smelled like or what the seasons felt like, as I'm sure you would be one to ask. But I know enough about the Cerinians we are up against. That's what's important for now." She stepped closer and lowered her voice. "Oh, and you must show me your staff. I wasn't lucky enough to receive one, and I'd love to examine yours."

Krystal blinked. "You knew I had one?"

"Surely. You are nobility after all. I'm surprised you don't act more like nobility, however. You seem much more calm, level-headed, and caring to have once been a part of a great, wealthy family. I assumed your greedy, egotistical values would overcome, as is the case with many of those with immense fortune, but I see now that you are nothing like the sort."

"I'm sure as hell thankful," muttered Fox under his breath.

Remi started picking at the tape evenly dividing her tail in half. "Anyway, about the Cerinians. Truth be told, we don't know where they all are, nor do we know how _many_ there are, nor do we know their capabilities. The ones we've been able to observe have proven to be enigmatic and spontaneous… they never stay in one place for long, and those that do are powerful enough to justify doing so…

"At Naval Bay earlier this week, there was a powerful gravitational anomaly that occurred. Nobody can explain why. The only thing that I can relay to you is that the power and magnitude of the anomaly could only be accomplished by a Cerinian Alpha; a very highly ranked member of our kind. They can harness powers greater than any mind could possibly perceive."

Remi then laughed again. "And it sucks I can't tell you how. Like I said, my memory is patchy because of what the hecking Paladins did. They are the knights and warriors of Cerinia, and they only accept orders from their Alphas…" she paused to think. "A band of many Paladins may have been able to create the anomaly at Naval Bay, but it's unlikely. I truthfully don't know, and I wish I knew more."

Falco decided to pop in, "So what do these blue fur-balls want?"

Remi shrugged. "The heck if I know." She then winked. "I mean, _this_ blue fur-ball wants a taste of that orange fur-ball there, but I guess that's irrelevant and inappropriate for now."

"Why does everyone think I'm orange?" Fox whined.

"You do look a little orange," Falco remarked.

"I've always thought he was this warm auburn color," Krystal piped in.

"Certainly not red," added Remi.

"Oh hell no," Fox grunted. "I'd say… maybe tan?"

"No, Fara is tan," Falco argued. "And brown is a bit too dark."

"What do you have against being brown?" Fox inquired.

"Fox, you aren't brown."

"You really aren't," Krystal agreed.

"Anyway!" snapped Fox. "I'll go with Krystal's guess. Remi, go ahe—"

"Why do you have to pick Krystal's answer?" Falco butted in.

"Because she was the only one that actually gave a good answer," Fox shortly replied.

"Are you sure it's not because you totally have—"

"Don't turn this _that_ way; she gave a good answer and I just picked it to get on with the briefing."

"Sure, we'll go with that," Falco sarcastically groaned. "Not because you have the hots—"

"Boys," growled Remi, snapping both pilots back into focus. "Thank you. Anyway, as I was saying, I don't really know what the Cerinians want, per say. I know they are angry with the Cornerians because of what I mentioned earlier, but as far as I'm concerned, that doesn't merit a planned, coordinated attack such as what happened at Naval Bay. No eye-witnesses can recall anything other than the gravitational paradox. As I said before, we don't even know if it was one Cerinian behind what happened there, or multiple."

Remi just shook her head, clawed toes clicking on the floor. "Peppy, I'm done talking, can you…" she trailed off when she noticed the hare fast asleep in his seat, oblivious to his surroundings. She let out an audible groan, letting her entire body slump. "Fine. I'll hecking do it. I'm gonna keep it short and sweet, because I've already talked enough."

The Cerinian walked over to Fox and held her hips. "Listen, Fox, I know that you think this job is going to basically be "track down the Cerinians and stop them before they cause more trouble and eventually destroy the entire system." In a way, it is. But…" she smirked, again winking at him. "You aren't gonna be able to stop them without my help. I'm here because I'm gonna be your partner through this mission. Consider me a temporary, yet honorary member of Star Fox."

Fox sat in thought for a few seconds.

"What do you say?" the vixen followed up. Seeing as the discussion was wrapping up, Falco sharply whacked the old hare, snapping him wide awake with a grunt.

Fox exchanged glances with both Falco and Krystal. Falco, while visibly apprehensive, outweighed his personal interpretation with the actual severity of the situation, and reluctantly nodded his approval. Krystal did the same. With his team on board, Fox returned the nod of approval as well.

"We accept."

"Good," Remi smiled, again allowing her eyes to glow. "I have a feeling this will be fun…"

Falco shuddered. "Yeah, I'm petrified now."

* * *

 ** _Ξ_**

* * *

 ** _A/N; If this chapter doesn't set the stage for what's to come, I don't know what will. Eh, maybe the next one..._**

 ** _Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, as always. Don't forget to follow if you want to see more in the future. If you're new to me, reviews are also greatly appreciated and always encouraged. I'll keep updates flowing somewhat consistently. College life may say otherwise. *shrug*_**

 ** _-Sheppard_**


	3. 0 — Chest Pains

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 0 []**

 _ **Exordium**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 3**

 _Chest Pains_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: I'm really stretching this rating, so if you think I should bump the rating after this chapter, please let me know. As such, I should mention that there is some questionable content ahead so if that's not your forte, you've been warned now. Also, thanks for you guys' support so far, and I'll try not to make gaps between updates take this long. Enjoy!**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Peppy and Falco decided to stay behind to cover more details, while Fox and Krystal opted out of more talking in favor of finally having dinner. Though, the duo hardly took five steps away from the briefing room door before Remi yipped:

"So where are we going?"

Fox instinctively yipped back and threw an impulsive, wild swing, only for Remi to duck underneath, sending Fox stumbling towards the wall. Remi laughed wildly as Fox slammed the wall and almost fell on his face.

Remi clicked her tongue. "Aww, come on Foxy; you gotta be quicker than that."

"Don't tell me you're coming with us," Fox moaned, brushing himself off.

"There's still much to discuss," Remi smirked, nudging Krystal as she spoke. "Much I need to do to prep you two for the adventure we're about to embark on."

Fox rolled his eyes. "I've saved this entire system from a rabid scientist, _twice_ , and destroyed a race of cybernetic bugs, which would make that count _three_ now. What makes you think I'm not ready for number four?"

The young vixen licked her muzzle in anticipation, eyeing the golden vulpine as if he was candy. "Did my words fall on deaf ears earlier?"

"Call me skeptic, but I'm calling your bluff on at least half the things you said in there," he replied. "I'm having trouble believing some of your so-called experiences."

Remi's eyes began to glow again. "Is that so? You're calling _my_ bluff?"

"I'm not scared of you," Fox deadpanned. "If your strategy is to bait me into doing your dirty work by intimidation, then I can call Peppy right now and tell him to find another team."

The vixen approached Fox to the point where her breath ruffled his scarf. Looking up, her eyes lit up like two lightbulbs being overcharged. Fox didn't budge. Right when Krystal decided to intervene, Remi blinked; her eyes returning to their original greenish tint.

"I don't lie," Remi responded earnestly. "It's not that I don't want to, but that I _can't_. I can't lie to you, or anyone. Everything I said in there—to the best of my knowledge—is the truth. The only reason why I said I don't know to a few questions asked is because I simply don't know. If I knew, I'd tell you the truth."

"Surely everyone's told a lie before," Fox dismissively commented.

"If I lied to any of you, you'd know it," Remi retorted with a subtle growl slipping through her teeth.

"Fox, I can tell she's serious," Krystal finally butted in. "If you can't trust her, trust me."

Fox backed away and pulled Krystal aside. With a hoarse, nearly silent voice, he said, "I'm not getting good vibes from her at all."

Angry, Krystal whispered back, "Oh, just give her a chance. You haven't even known her an hour."

"Neither have you, but you're already trusting her?"

"Call it instinct."

"Instinct? I'm not buying it. Just tell me: you only trust her because she's a Cerinian like you."

"Fox, it has nothing to do with that."

"Then what do you call your little episode earlier?"

"If your father came through that door, I'd bet you'd have the same response."

Remi crept in and awkwardly remarked, "Uh, guys; I can _literally_ hear every word you're saying."

"Stay out of this!" both foxes snapped back. Remi raised her arms and stepped away.

Krystal huffed. "Listen, Fox, I don't ask much of you. Can you at least give her a chance? I have my suspicions too, but—"

"If she wants my trust, she'll have to prove it."

"What more proof do you need? She was honest in the briefing."

"Are you seriously going to take every word she said in there as total truth? Not even a little doubt?"

Krystal didn't answer.

"Exactly. I can't prove it, so she doesn't have my trust yet."

"Fox," Krystal nearly growled. "You trusted _me_ years ago. You took everything _I_ said as truth. What's so different here?"

"You're not a crazy sociopath with glowing eyes."

" _Hey!_ " whined Remi from the background.

"Just listen to me," Krystal continued. "In my eyes, I don't see anything different between Remi's situation and mine. We were both unknown, with a weird story and a weird set of skills that set us different from everyone else. Why is she any different than me?"

This time, Fox didn't answer.

"I trust Remi because I see a little of myself in her. Not because she's a Cerinian or because she's… a little strange," she craned her head around to Remi for a split second, "—no offense—" and back to Fox, "but because we both have a story to tell. We're both unknown. We both have that estranged life that normal people would scoff at and walk away if we tried to tell our story."

Krystal set a paw on his shoulder. "Just trust her like you would trust me, okay?"

"It's much different than that," remarked Fox.

"I know it is. You don't have a crush on her like you do with me."

Fox couldn't focus on what she said after that, as he immediately started blushing and used his brain power to subdue the glowing in his cheeks. "I don't know what you mean by that," he timidly answered. Krystal yanked on his scarf, pulling him closer so that their noses almost touched.

Nearly growling, Krystal whispered, "Fox, can you stop playing dumb and coy for just this one minute? You don't have to tell me why you trusted me when you met me because I already know, okay? Right now I just don't care. Put your instincts you trust so much in the back seat for a week; a week is all I ask. Give Remi a chance like you did for me. I don't care if you think she's gonna hurt you or whatever. I will hurt you more than she ever will if you don't stop being a little kid about this. Give her a chance."

She released the vulpine and brushed hair out of her eyes. "Does that make sense?"

Embarrassed, Fox just nodded his head.

"Thank you," Krystal finally grinned.

He merely exhaled through his nose. "Ever been to Harvey's, Remi?"

The sky blue vixen slowly approached, smiling. "Can't say I have. What's there?"

"Friend of mine," Fox replied, starting off towards the exit. "Owns a diner downtown. Krystal and I go as often as we can. It's good food."

Remi shrugged and followed him. "I won't say no to good food."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

A stereotypical diner with all the decades-old clichés marked off, Harvey's fit the bill for a welcome-back meal. Clichés include black and white tile, old red vinyl booths and seats, a metallic trim to pretty much anything, old signs and posters popularized in the year these particular posters along the walls were probably printed, a glowing jukebox playing classic tunes, and all of the greasy, unhealthy guilty pleasures you could possibly fit into a single page menu.

While Fox stayed behind to talk with the owner whose name has already been mentioned, as he normally did for his favorite food joints in town, Remi and Krystal found a booth with a wide window overlooking the downtown street and the business towers across said street. Remi's eyes practically burnt a hole through the menu, ravenously eyeing her choices. She was practically drooling when she finally put the menu down.

"I can tell why you two chose this place."

Krystal grinned. "It's very nice. The food took some getting used to, but I enjoy it now. Fox swears by this place, so when we're not on missions, he takes me here all the time."

"So, pardon my curiosity, but are you and Fox…?" she winked, smugly smirking to herself. She started to mold her hands into a very lewd gesture before Krystal hissed at her.

"We aren't yet," she said through her teeth.

"I like how you added the _yet_."

"Well if—" she cut herself off and looked over her shoulder for a split second. "If your best friend was Fox, wouldn't you say yet too?"

"Honey, I wouldn't be waiting long enough to say _yet_ ; not even once," Remi licked her chops, subtly eying the golden vulpine across the diner. "Looks like a big slow-roasted chicken, golden brown and juicy. Just wanna sink my teeth into that—"

"Remi!"

The vixen laughed loudly and blasted the table with her fist. "Oh alright, fine; I'll wait for seconds. You saw him first; I'll be courteous."

"Remi, no," Krystal whined. "Are you serious? I'm not just gonna ask him out of the blue. Especially after what happened this morning. We're still good friends, not—"

"Oh boy, what happened this morning?" Remi asked eagerly, propping her muzzle in her paws as she leaned on the table.

"Truthfully, I just don't even know," Krystal rubbed her head. "We had just got back from a long assignment, we were both exhausted… Everything after Fox and I got home is just a black mess. Next thing I know I'm waking up nude, in his bed, smelling like him. I don't think he knows, and honestly, neither do I, but—"

"Sounds like you had a night in the foxhole," Remi snickered. "Shame you can't remember; I'd be asking for those sweet details about that golden stud."

Krystal blushed. "I mean, I don't feel any different, so I'd like to think that nothing happened, but… I think you might be right."

Remi sighed dreamily, fluttering her eyes. "Sleeping with the fox of your dreams and not even remembering it… what a shame."

"I mean, I did offer him a night if he'd stop being a big baby and come to that briefing, so…" she looked away. "Doesn't that seem weird? Technically he's not my significant other but I'm offering these favors, and it might not be the first time, and… it's just so complicated, I don't know what to make of it."

"Complicated makes it fun," Remi giggled to herself. "It's even more fun seeing who your _boyfriend_ actually is. I can't tell you enough how much _I_ want him."

Krystal sighed. "I even told him I wanted to stop being so awkward around him, but it's easier said than done. I mean, I only gave him that offer because of the circumstances, and that whole morning episode was a blur so I don't—"

"Well if you ever want it to be more than just a single night, I'd recommend jumping on that piece of meat before it gets cold," Remi jumped in. "He obviously cares a lot about you, so if your worry is that he'll say no and it'll get awkward, just dump that out."

"Again, easier said than done."

"Nah, not really," she smiled widely, noticing Fox was starting to come back. "Here, watch." She shifted in her seat, and when Fox got to the table she blurted out, "Hey Fox, wanna be my girlfriend?"

Fox scoffed as he slid beside Krystal, making sure to set their tray of food down first. "I'm pretty sure… _whatever_ you have is easily transmitted, so I'll pass on that offer."

"If fun is an STD then I'll make you test positive every time."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Here, Krys, I got the usual for us."

"I almost forgot how good it smelled," she commented, wasting no time digging into her basket of diner-style fried chicken.

Noticing Fox got exactly the same thing, Remi cooed, "The usual, eh? You two come here often?"

Fox just grinned to himself. "I told Harv about you and he said he knows? What does that—"

"No no no, don't change the topic, Foxy," Remi interjected, all-too-smug in her tone and posture. "Answer my question please."

Fox groaned. "Sure, we come here a lot. But why does Harv know about you if you said you never came here before?"

"All of the diners and restaurants in town know about me," Remi answered proudly. "The CDF pays for my meals. It's a long story that I don't feel like telling. I'll go order." With that she stood up and skipped off, tail swaying as happily as could be.

Fox breathed into his basket. "I'm scared of her."

Krystal pulled her head up to look at Fox, crumbs of fried goodness spilling from her face. She grunted something incomprehensible, mostly sounding like she was agreeing, since the amount of food stuffed in her face wouldn't let her speak. Fox laughed and patted her back, sending more crumbs into her lap.

"Slow down Krys, don't choke on it," he laughed, but to his dismay he heard a voice from across the diner yell:

"Yea, because she ought to be choking on—"

On instinct, Fox cupped his hands over Krystal's ears while the vixen in question whined.

Both Fox and Krystal were about halfway done with their baskets before Remi returned. In unison, the two vulpines' jaws dropped at the tray Remi sat down with. It had to be enough food for a family of five. Breakfast food, a sandwich or two, a few baskets; all almost overflowing out of their containers.

"Told ya," Remi giggled, setting to work on her feast.

"Did you let Harv keep any stock?"

"I told you, I have needs that everyone knows about," she winked.

"I don't even think you could finish _half_ a sandwich, let alone three."

Remi blinked, a flash of color streaking across her irises and vanishing just as fast. "On top of my hecking high metabolism, my telepathy burns calories faster than a triathlete. Watch me finish all of this."

"I don't think I can stomach seeing you eat all that."

"My telepathy doesn't," Krystal commented.

Fox turned his head. "Wait, huh?"

"I said my telepathy doesn't," Krystal repeated. "I don't feel any different whenever I use it."

"Because you don't have as good a grasp on it as I do, hon," Remi said in between bites. "My brain—er, the _working_ parts of it, I should say—is working harder than yours… and no I don't mean in _that_ way. It just takes a lot of energy to keep my telepathy in check."

Fox exchanged confused glances with the vixen beside him. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean by what?"

"Krystal's telepathy. It works. She can talk to me with it if she wants to."

"Yes; I never said that it _didn't_ ," Remi started. "I'm merely saying that what she has left of her telepathy is… below average. Much below average. If my earlier assumption of Krystal being a part of a noble family back on Cerinia is correct, she should have a much better grasp on her telepathic prowess than what she has now…"

Krystal's eyes narrowed. "What's that have to do with my telepathy?"

"Do you think that all Cerinians are just born with this godly, clairvoyant mind-array?" Remi almost scoffed in a joking way. "Krys, honey, it's much more complicated than you think. It's not a natural mutation, nor is it the work of voodoo priests casting spells. It's _learned_ , just like you learn physics or history out of a book."

Remi still ate as much as she could, but still found the time to elaborate throughout her massive meal. "See, Cerinia had a lot of scientifically inexplicable events, traditions, and objects throughout its life. Er, at least from what I can remember. The fabled Fountain of Youth you read in children's books and mythology is a Cerinian miracle. The demigods imbued with the blood of those who created us you read in legends are who we call the Alphas. It's not a fairy-tale, more so a real occurrence that you never hear confirmed because, well, we're mostly all dead at this point."

Another bite down the hatch. "What I'm getting at is that Cerinian telepathy is a skill passed on, like the works of great scholars and physicists written into books. These skills were harnessed and controlled, built stronger and stronger with every passing generation. Obviously Krystal's family hadn't properly educated their daughter, otherwise she should be strong enough to be putting words into my mouth."

Fox rolled his eyes. "And how are you as good as you claim you are?"

"I knew you would ask that question," she sighed. "And I don't have the answer. My memory is much too choppy. I cannot recall who taught me, nor how I was taught. It's merely instinctual at this point. The skills are engraved in my brain; no amount of mind-wiping will be able to scrub off that branding. I can no longer teach what I know to my fullest extent because of this. However, Krystal, if you so desire… I can help you strengthen your abilities. I may be broken, but a Cerinian never forgets the network up here." She poked at her head with her fork.

Krystal smirked. "I… I would very much like that."

"I don't see why you wouldn't. I cannot give you everything I know because I simply don't know how to, but I'll teach you as much as I can. Some memories won't fade away."

"Great, she can already talk to me all the time," Fox muttered. "Now what? Put words into my mouth? Control my movements? Read my thoughts?"

"I can do that last one," Remi smirked. Fox blanched in reply.

"I-I-I'd rather you not—"

"Aww, come on; that'll be fun!" Remi's tail started whipping back and forth. "Sound fun, Krys?"

"I mean, if it will help—"

"Surely this will help us!" Remi interjected, getting more excited by the second. "Okay, hold on, I need to finish eating before we do any of that. Can't do my work on an empty stomach."

Fox's head fell into his hands. "Goodbye privacy."

Krystal gently nudged his ribs. "Hey," she whispered. "I'll let you keep your secrets. Don't worry."

Fox managed a smile. "Thanks."

"But only if you get me a milkshake."

"I knew there was a catch," Fox chuckled to himself, slipping out of his seat. "Fine; you're lucky I'm in a generous mood. I'll be back."

As soon as Fox left the earshot threshold, Remi immediately spoke up:

"He is the definition of a stud."

Krystal batted her eyes. "I'm glad we can agree on something."

Remi wolfed down another bite. "Krystal, I'm about to ask you something odd."

"As if everything else you've asked today weren't?"

She didn't react. "I've noticed Fox has something peculiar about him. Like… he has the faintest grasp of the Cerinian network… I can almost hear the faintest traces of his thoughts, and it's not because of me…"

Krystal's eyes narrowed. "That's… interesting."

"Indeed," another bite swallowed. "Have you told him about your telepathy? How you use it?"

"No," she replied. "The only experience he's had with Cerinians other than myself has been before we met. He actually found my staff and used it on his mission he was on before he rescued me. Does that matter?"

"It does," Remi smirked. "Cerinian weaponry is potent in its power. Even the slightest touch will leave a lasting imprint. Fox using your staff confirms my hypothesis… and this is where my odd question comes in."

"Go on," Krystal said hesitantly.

"I may be able to teach Fox the ways of Cerinian telepathy, since he already has been exposed to such a great deal of power. The only thing preventing him from unlocking it is more personal, intimate experiences with Cerinian lifeblood. There's something that I cannot recall that binds a Cerinian to that force, which makes this telepathy we share unique... If I remember correctly, there are some relatively painless ways to integrate a non-Cerinian—Fox—into this network… but the easiest—and by far the most entertaining, depending on how you look at it—is mating with someone of pure Cerinian blood; someone with a strong grip on this network."

Krystal blinked. "I… huh?"

"I mean, _you_ could do it, but I don't think you have a strong enough grasp on your telepathy to unlock Fox's potential. It would have to be me."

Skeptical, she narrowed her eyes. "Are you just trying to give me an excuse to sleep with him?"

"It wouldn't be against my character," Remi laughed in amongst another bite of food. "But as much as it would be fun, it would be useful for this mission. Fox having control of his mind in a way you and I know how would benefit him, mostly because he can defend himself if the rogue Cerinians try to take control of him. Hell, even the slightest concrete grasp of Cerinian telepathy will protect his mind from even the strongest of Alphas."

Evident conflict showed on Krystal's face. "That is a good reason, but surely there has to be a better way?"

"Better way for what?" inquired Fox, setting a tall glass topped with whipped cream and a cherry before the vixen. As much as the treat excited her, him walking in on the most inappropriate conversation killed her desire to just slam her face into the shake.

"Oh, Fox," Remi said with a mouthful of food. "Sometime soon I need to sleep with you; just once."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Listen, I don't feel like explaining _again_ ," Remi smirked. "But trust me, this will benefit our entire mission."

"Uh, dare I repeat my earlier comment about your _contagious_ behavior?" Fox asked with a mild condescending flare.

"Hey, Krystal can vouch for me here. I'm not _just_ overly horny all the time, I swear."

Fox turned to Krystal. The vixen just took a sip of her shake, **guilty** plastered all over face. Eventually, after looking at both Remi and Fox over and over again until her shake was half gone, she eventually gave Fox a nod.

"Remi thinks that since you used my staff back on Sauria, you have a taste of Cerinian telepathy, and she thinks she can unlock it if… well…"

Fox immediately shook his head. "Not happening, sweetheart," he said to Remi. "You need to rank a little bit higher on the list of girls I'd even _consider_ sharing a bed with. On my list of ten, you're probably eleventh or twelfth."

Remi just rolled her eyes. "Alright, who do I need to beat to rank up?"

"This isn't a video game ranking," Fox scoffed. "Rule number one: you need to have at least 98% of your screws up here tightened. It looks to me that yours is damn-near falling apart."

"Aww come on, that can't be a bad thing. Aren't we all a bit crazy in our own ways?"

"I've also stopped sleeping with people the day I meet them. That ship sailed years ago."

"I didn't say it had to be today," Remi bargained. "Just whenever you feel like not being mind-controlled by Cerinians even crazier than me."

Fox still didn't budge. "I may have been told to trust you more, but I'm not trusting you here. Not after what's been said and done."

Remi shrugged. "Fine. Don't believe me. Just know that desire of finally being able to unlock this all-seeing, all-knowing mind link that lets you talk to people miles and miles away, read their thoughts, and even control those with a weak mind… that desire will eat at you and consume you, but you will never know how it feels because you're afraid of one night of fun. I see how it is."

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me?"

"I'm just saying that you not knowing how that sort of power feels will eat at you and consume you until you finally give in, to which I'll say _I told you so_."

"Not gonna happen."

"I'll take your word on it then."

"Good."

"I won't even bring it up then," Remi started to sink into her food. "I won't save you when the Alphas destroy you from the mind out. Mind you, it's a hypothetical after all, but it is surprisingly and scarily relevant to our times right now."

Fox just rolled his eyes yet again. "You done eating yet?"

"Give me time; don't rush me," Remi rebuked, taking another bite. "In the meantime, why don't you elaborate on this so-called list you have."

"No."

"We're all dying to know."

"By _we_ , you mean _you_. So no."

To Fox's dismay, Krystal awkwardly chimed in, "Why do you have this list anyway?"

"Yea!" Remi chirped.

"It was just a hypothetical," Fox dismissed.

Remi flicked her wrist. "Nah, it was all just a little ploy Foxy here made to justify being a party-pooper."

"No, Remi."

"Party-pooper," she pouted, dropping her ears.

"Not happening," Fox repeated, exasperated.

"Is Krystal on that hypothetical list?"

"Irrelevant."

"Why not a yes or no?"

Fox's arm fell limp, clattering the silverware on the table. "You honestly make me question which will be quicker: actually stopping the Cerinians or letting them kill us all."

"Well, the latter if you want to be technical, but that's no fun."

"I welcome death at this point," he deadpanned.

"Alright, fine; I'll stop teasing," Remi giggled. "You ought to lighten up a bit, Foxy. Build that sense of humor up. No shame in getting through life and trying to have fun at the same time."

"Having fun and what you keep pestering me about are two different things."

Remi reluctantly rolled her eyes. "Alright. Just thought I'd say something."

She took a few more bites and let the conversation simmer. When nobody spoke up for a few minutes, she had the thought and couldn't refrain from blurting out:

"Is Scarlet on that list?"

Fox belted the table with his forehead, clattering silverware accompanying Remi's satisfied victory laugh.

* * *

 **Ξ**

* * *

Approximately an hour later, Fox and his two Cerinians made it back to the former's residence. Remi eyed the luxury of the place Fox called home, yet stayed reserved enough to not say anything and keep her hands to herself. Fox announced he was going to finish up both his and Krystal's laundry, giving the two vixens an excuse to escape upstairs.

"I haven't used my staff in a very long time," Krystal commented while leading Remi into her room.

As before, the latter vixen kept her hands locked behind her back, unresting eyes combing over her new environment like a child entering a new home for the first time. She examined the plush, light gray carpet with her toes while Krystal made her way to her closet. Her bed sat pressed against the wall dividing her room from Fox's, with a large wall composing the back wall only covered by a thin gray curtain. Remi took note of how Krystal's room was seemingly empty aside from her dresser and bed. The off-white walls were bare, as was the expanse of empty space on the similarly colored carpet. At least the room was very tidy; no clothes or the like littered the place.

Krystal opened the folding door of her closet. Inside were old and/or spare Star Fox suits, winter clothing, and a few boxes. Pressed behind her old suit was the staff in question. She removed it and gently dusted the gold finish. Upon revealing it to Remi, Krystal noticed something peculiar. The beautiful gem resting atop the staff seemed to glow faintly. It hadn't done that in a while. Not since Fox used it.

Remi gasped audibly. "Heck. Your staff is better than I could have ever imagined."

"What do you mean?" Krystal asked, eyes trained on the glowing gem. Remi swiped the staff away so quickly that Krystal stared at her hands for a second before she processed her staff wasn't there.

Without explaining, Remi pressed the gold encased jewel to her forehead. That pale blue glow intensified, lighting up the room far better than the sun outside could. Before Krystal could react, her ears were filled with faint whisperings that she couldn't distinguish. They sounded awfully familiar…

"The ancients forged this staff as the gods supervised," Remi whispered, eyes shut and nose pointed down. Her voice had a vague, chant-like echo to it. "The gods filled this staff with the energy of the universe. The power of gravity personified as light, heat, and force. Wielding this cosmic force is a warrior who has vowed with her life to protect the stars at night from the demons who seek to destroy them."

And just like that, the staff's glow subsided. Remi snapped out of her trance, using the staff to keep herself on her feet. Krystal blinked, then rushed to her fellow Cerinian's aid. As Krystal helped Remi over to her bed, Remi began to laugh.

"I've never felt that much power before," the young vixen breathed.

"What was that?" Krystal questioned. "I've never seen my staff do that."

Breathing heavy, Remi replied, "You have a very valuable piece of history. That staff—wherever you got it from—was made at the conception of Cerinia. As the planet grew old, this staff absorbed the energy from the planet's decaying core. Well, the gem did. Cerinians before our time must have created staffs like these and learned to harness the bountiful energy possessed in them. They must not have known their planet was killing itself until it was much too late."

Remi sat down and smiled when Krystal did the same. "Thank you for showing me this."

Krystal nodded. "Remi… I'm curious as to how much you know."

She sighed. "Not much, but I guess I know enough."

Krystal folded her legs on her bed, encouraging Remi to do the same. "Please tell me more. The things you spoke about earlier today… the remaining Cerinians, what they want, what they know… what all do you know of them?"

Remi started unravelling the tape around her arms and legs. "My memory is hazy, Krystal. As I said before, the Paladins did not finish erasing my memory. What I have left is fragmented at best. Nothing coherent will come from me should I choose to speak."

"Something is better than nothing."

"I wish not to misinform you with lackluster information. Giving you the wrong impression of something you know nothing about will damage the both of us, especially concerning this subject."

"I want to know what I can. Going into this mission will be better for us both if I know what it is I need to be aware of. Even if you think that what you say won't be worthwhile, it will be for someone like me who knows nothing."

Remi discarded her used tape and finally replicated Krystal's pose on her bed. After careful deliberation that seemed to go on forever, Remi pursed her lips.

"Hold out your hand, please."

Krystal did as she was told. The vixen's delicate hand was carefully enveloped by both of Remi's. Remi inched forward so her knees touched with the vixen across from her. Breathing deeply, Remi guided Krystal's paw overtop her chest. Her gentle heartbeat seemed to copy her own. While Krystal was scared of what could happen, she seemed calm and ready.

 _"_ _God of Wisdom, God of Memory; give this girl my thoughts. She was wrongly violated by the evils you tasked us to defeat. Make her strong. Make her believe as one of us. Bring her back."_

…Nothing.

Remi tentatively looked up to Krystal. Neither felt different.

The young vixen frowned. "My thoughts are much too fragmented. I'm sorry Krystal."

Krystal shook her head. "I don't want your thoughts or memories, Remi. I want you to teach me."

"The Paladins have broken me, Krystal," Remi gasped, acting angry but appearing clearly distraught. "I want to teach you. I want to tell you everything I have ever known… but my mind will not let me. I have told you everything I can today."

Krystal cupped one of Remi's paws. "The Paladins… what did they do?"

"I cannot see their faces," Remi whispered, closing her eyes. "They are clearly misguided. Our warriors with this sacred title would never harm the innocent as they did. The Alphas must have taken them… for what, they will not say."

"Think harder," she insisted. "What did the Paladins do to you?"

Remi's free hand drifted to her ear. As she clenched and massaged the furry cartilage, she spoke with a tremble, "They… wiped their minds… used their energy… slaughtered them when they were done… they… didn't have enough time… the planet…"

A tear dripped out of Remi's eye and onto Krystal's sheets. "Power hungry… sapping the life… clean… destroy… create…"

Krystal felt Remi's hand warm up. The tears slipping from her eyes glowed like bits of the staff at her feet. Krystal reacted on impulse. She forced Remi's hand onto her chest like Remi did before. Only then did she feel a surge blast through her entire body. A wave of pure heat so hot that it could melt her own body knifed into her mind; pulsating and radiating the heat away almost instantaneously. In that energy wave, the vixen received a barrage of thoughts similar to that given off by her staff, only amplified tenfold.

 _Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Those who seek boundless power will eventually succumb to the evil desires associated with it._

 _The gods were foolish and could not understand this power they had… They wronged everyone in this universe…_

 _This world, tainted by lies and deceit, will be our vessel to a new world… a world devoid of lust, greed… the imperfections of our disgusting race… failing and rotting since the dawn of time…_

 _Cerinia… created in a time where time flowed and space expanded… The ideal, perfect world was not to be here… so if the gods will not create a perfect world…_

 _Only I see past these lies and failures lobbed at us by our creators… that have long since forgotten we exist… They know not what they have left behind…_

 _…_ _Deserter… You claim to use yourself for a greater good? Foolish… This is why you will never be strong enough to witness our glorious new day…_

 _You fail to see this world is incomplete… Incomplete? No, failed and left behind…_

 _Our gods abandoned this project we call the universe and started a new one, learning from their mistakes and perfecting the aspects they got right… We were merely an experiment…_

 _Power is a gateway… those chosen to accept the gods' work are blinded by responsibility that will lead them astray…_

 _Shall I teach you why it is that, no matter what you do, you will always be seen as a failure in the eyes of the creators that made you?_

 _…_ _Waste… The minds of the sheep will flock to the wolf that leads them with false prophecies…_

 _This ought to teach you,_ ** _traitorous scum_** _…_

Two waterfalls also known as the tears streaming from Remi's eyes caught Krystal's notice, so she released her grip on her arm. The voices fell silent, and the room suddenly felt ice cold.

For a handful of minutes, Krystal sat at the edge of her bed gently consoling the other vixen; seemingly traumatized by what happened. Remi had definitely changed. Her voice became much more eccentric: losing its smoker's grit and replacing that with more of a gentle, introverted glow. Her movements—while few and far between—were spastic in nature, yet reserved as if she was experiencing a drug hangover. Bloodshot red eyes glazed over with tears looked down at her own arms and legs as if they were alien.

Since Remi wouldn't stop mumbling to herself, breathing gently into her chest, Krystal then spent another handful of minutes huddled up next to the vixen with a blanket wrapped around the both of them. Every few seconds, she would ask Remi if she was okay, with no response. Remi felt cold to the touch for a while, but after a few minutes under the blanket, she began to warm up. That warmth seemed to bring her back.

She blinked for the first time. "Those hecking bastards did something to me," she growled, voice quivering and shallow. "I just want to dick-punch whoever ruined me."

"Are you okay?" Krystal asked. "That—"

"The only thing I am right now is pissed off," Remi snapped. "Selfish, ignorant, self-righteous pricks think they know better. They see a dying world with millions of people trying to escape and they claim to know…"

Remi trailed off.

"Know what?"

She blinked again. "Know how to create their own world…"

Krystal cocked her head. Remi threw off the blanket and abruptly stood up, an unusual panic lacing her wide eyes.

"That's what they want."

"What?"

Remi growled. "I should've hecking knew. They're destroying our system. They want to create their own universe."


	4. Lesson 1

**Ξ**

 **\- Lesson 1 -**

 _"_ _Gravity: Laws and Principles"_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 4**

 _ **Ξ**_

 _ **A/N: I'm trying out a new interlude-style chapter in between story arcs. These chapters don't have bearing on the plot, but will instead explain a few concepts that will be utilized in future chapters. This way you guys won't be confused if I say something in a later chapter that may not make sense without this.**_

 _ **These chapters in the grander scheme of things are skip-able, so if you don't want to read it, you won't lose out on any significant plot. As I said, I'm just trying these out. Regardless, hope you all enjoy this as much as you liked the last couple chapters. :)**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 ** _Ξ_**

* * *

G13. A seat a few spaces in from the left aisle, and exactly seven rows up from the floor. An odd spot to pick out in an almost empty lecture hall, but given how the summer heat hadn't yet subsided at Eterna University, and this seat in particular sat beside an AC vent spilling out cool air, it was the best option.

The hybrid canine set her backpack at her feet and sat down, thankful to feel the refreshing air breathe through her fur. Keychains clattered as she dug out her notebook, setting it on her little arm desk. Once she found her pen, she opened the book to its first page and wrote in the top corner:

 _ASTR 281 — 41/9/18  
Flannery Spitz_

As the rest of the rather large lecture hall began to fill up with more and more people, the lights dimmed. Two identical projected screens showed a simple image upon the white wall. A black circle upon a black background, only distinguishable from the light radiating from the edges of the circle, similar to when Corneria's moon passes in front of Lylat every so often.

14:30 hit; class was supposed to begin. But there wasn't anyone at the desk at the front of the lecture hall. Flannery's head craned around the room, as some of the other students began to do the same. A song began to play from the speakers; a simple bass line with some quiet drum beats. As the song began to pick up, a voice started speaking.

"Our universe is massive," the speaker with a simple northeastern Cornerian accent started. "Ever expanding. What we once thought to just be our star and planets became so much more. Other stars. Other galaxies. We constantly make new discoveries each and every day, because the universe expands each and every day. We don't claim to know everything, because there is just so much out there that we may never know everything.

"Stars are born, then die, then regenerate, then die again. It's the constant staple of life you and I are accustomed to. We watch as the stars in our sky spin with grace and perfection, while we simultaneously yearn for the day that we may learn more about these divine celestial objects. Planets spin around our star as if they are in love at a distance, but cannot quite let that star know their love, as the heat of that love may destroy them completely. We all spin on a ball of rock, water, and gas hurtling at thousands of meters per second around a giant thermal beast that is so much more massive than any of us can comprehend in a physical stance. All of these things happen as we live our lives, ignoring the problems each of us face or the choices we make."

Flannery noticed a sharply dressed Alsatian wandering down her aisle with a tablet in the grip of his arm. As he advanced towards the front of the room with a slow, methodical pace, his voice proclaimed, "Science is our only grasp at this other world these celestial beings harbor. We progress from seeing stars as a dome over our head given to us by the gods, to understanding there is a significant distance between each and every one of those stars, to now being able to _travel_ to distant stars. Science has advanced so much, that the context of what these things are and how we were able to find them at all can be lost. We see, we observe, we wonder, but… we may never know why. Why?"

The Alsatian advanced the slide to a model of the Lylat System. He flashed a smile as the lights in the room gradually brightened just a little bit.

" _Why_ … is why we're all here. Welcome to Astronomy 281. My name is Rafael Lang. A physicist and astronomer by name, but a curious student at heart. For this semester, I will tell you all that I know about the Lylat System and the otherworldly objects that surround us. I will explain many concepts that pertain to our system, as well as a few other noteworthy concepts that may be important for you at a later stage in life. But for now… I want to start out with a simple lesson that will set the stage for the next coming weeks. A simple concept that most of you—I hope—are experiencing right now. I'm talking about the simple concept of gravity."

As he finished, he shoved a textbook that had been lying on his desk off, unceremoniously slapping the floor with a bang. Students around the hall instinctively flinched. Professor Lang looked at the book, then at his students, then at the book again, then at his students again. He simply shrugged.

"Why did that book fall to the ground when I pushed it off?"

He waited a few seconds until someone piped in, "Gravity?"

Rafael laughed. "Yes, but how does gravity work? Is there a machine that turns on? Psychic voodoo magic?" When nobody answered, he shrugged again. "Well, gravity is quite a simple concept. Obviously, right? I drop something, it falls to the ground with a constant acceleration. This gravity constant can change, however. If anyone is from or has been to a different planet in this system, they will know this fact first hand."

He advanced a slide and continued to wander. "The best physicists and astronomers the Lylat System has ever seen have captured the fundamental properties of this odd phenomena. After all, they wanted to understand why their feet stayed on the ground instead of floating up into space. They wanted to understand why the tides in the oceans rise and fall like clockwork. They wanted to understand why we—a miracle of life on a giant ball of rock and water—were hurtling around a bright star at speeds we can't even begin to comprehend. These questions led them to what we have here."

He pointed up at the screen, and a collective sound of scribbling pens on paper filled the lecture hall. "Gravity, from a physics lens, is really the natural downward acceleration coefficient in which objects in free-fall are subject to. In an astronomy lens, gravity is the attraction factor one celestial body has on another. Indeed, Lylat pulls on Corneria, pulls on Aquas, pulls on Macbeth… but what you may not know is that what Corneria, Aquas, and Macbeth all have in common is that they pull on Lylat. Well, obviously not by much, as in retrospect, Lylat hasn't moved in our system. But that's where the gravity laws will help explain.

"See, look at the formulas on the screen. Gravity is relative to the mass and radius of any given celestial object. We're gonna focus on the planets here for this lecture. Any given gravity coefficient for any given planet or star is always equal to the mass of the planet or star and the mass of whatever the planet or star is pulling on, divided by the radius of the planet or star squared. This is an impressive calculation that I can spend this entire lecture dissecting like the early scholars did, but that's not fun. Let's do something fun."

Rafael walked over to the side of the room, where a sheet of spandex was clipped to what looked to be a circular table with only the edges left in. "In this class, we're gonna have a lot of demonstrations, because that's fun. Well, yes, that, plus it's scientifically proven that students will learn a concept faster and recall it quicker and with more accuracy if there is a physical demonstration in the lecture. Specifically, this demo will show you guys the effect of gravity on a celestial scale… all the way down to a little sheet. Watch."

The Alsatian set his tablet down and softly clapped his hands. "I need a star," he chuckled. He trotted to someone in the front row and said, "Mind if I borrow your water bottle?" The student obliged, and upon getting it, Lang held it up for everyone in the hall to see.

"This is Lylat…" he announced triumphantly. Pausing for a second, he then snapped, "No, not really; it's just a water bottle. But for the sake of the demo, this is Lylat." He tossed the bottle onto the sheet, and naturally, it found itself rolling to the center of the sheet, causing a bowl effect on the rest of it. He smiled at his creation. "That's another cool effect. The object with the largest mass will always settle in the center of a system. After all, the largest mass in the system will have the largest gravitational constant compared to the planets that form around it. With so many other planets circling at different speeds and distances, this star is relatively at rest when looking at it from just the system itself. If I expand my lens and look at our galaxy, sure, it will change—but that's not our focus right now."

He trotted over to his desk and pulled out a jar of marbles. "I now have a jar of planets," he laughed again. " _No, they're marbles, Rafael_. Yes, I'm aware of this. But you see, in a solar system with a massive star in the center, the gravitational coefficient completely overwhelms anything that has a sizably lower mass. Case in point," he pulled out a marble, "Corneria, our planet. To scale, this is accurate, yes… and watch why I say this."

As if he was bowling, he rolled the marble onto the sheet at an angle. The marble rolled along the angled sheet, revolving around the water bottle at the center while slowly pulling inwards. Eventually, the marble hit the bottle and stopped.

"Gravity!" he announced, urging applause from the students who eventually complied. Once it died down, Rafael sent more marbles onto the sheet in exactly the same manner. "See, what happens is the bottle is so much more massive than the marbles that the marbles, when given an initial velocity that isn't equal to or greater than the escape velocity of a gravitational pull—which is something we will get into later—they will revolve around the bottle. This demo isn't entirely accurate to our system because, if it were, we'd be hurtling towards Lylat right now. There is friction involved with the sheet, obviously, but conceptually speaking, this is what showcases some of our theories of gravity."

He put his jar down. "The bottle is pulling the marbles, and the marbles do pull on the bottle, as the bottle did move only slightly while the marbles were going around. This is gravity. The bigger gravitational coefficient, the stronger the force of gravity will be. If I had a heavy rock or a textbook in the center, the marbles would pull towards the center much quicker because that object would push down on the sheet more, creating a sharper angle. This would be the same for our system. If our star had a stronger gravitational pull, we would feel it."

Lang tapped at his head. "Notice how I didn't say mass. The mass is important, yes, but that equation I have here involves the planet's radius. That's because a planet's density has a large factor on the gravitational energy is has. Suppose you have a planet in a system that is twice as massive as our planet, and has twice as long a radius as it too. It's bigger, so it must have a higher gravity than our planet, no?"

He looked around, then shook his head. "This is wrong. The mass may be greater, but the radius has doubled too. There's more surface area; more volume for that mass to cover. The radius is squared in this equation because of exactly that. So my question about its gravity? This hypothetical planet will have half the gravity than our planet. Do the math for yourself. Double the mass, double the radius. The coefficients in this—the numbers that are important in this kind of problem—will be two over two squared; the radius is always squared. Math… One-half the gravity. Triple the mass and radius! You'll get three over three squared; that's one third of the gravity.

"Jovian giants spinning out in the outskirts of Lylat! Why are they not attracting our terrestrial planets? They're just about as close to us as Lylat is. And they're almost as big as Lylat? Why don't they matter? Well, they're jovians; gas giants. They may have a giant radius, but it's mass is strikingly small compared to that. They have a fraction of the density that our terrestrial, habitable planets have. See, everything in our system has an explanation. Every little thing that has been observed within the boundaries of our system can be and will be explained through scientific procedures."

The Alsatian wandered around the room again. "Gravity is fundamental to building a universe. As a matter of fact, everything that we see and experience was a result of gravity. Spinning spinning spinning, eventually we get here? How does that work? I'll save that topic for another lecture because I'm getting ahead of myself. I can't help it; I get started on something as awesome as this and it's easy to get sidetracked."

He looked at his watch. "I've ran myself out of time. Cheers everyone. Thanks for listening to me ramble. We meet again in this room, same time, in two days. I'll see you all then."

Pleasantly surprised with the lecture, Flannery packed away her notebook and joined into the steady stream of students filing into the aisles and out the door.


	5. 1 — The Summoning

**Ξ**

 **Ξ**

 **Ξ**

* * *

With staff in hand, Remi winked playfully and shot a sly smirk.

"Don't mind me," she assured, righting the staff and gripping it with both hands. The crystal slowly gained a white luminescence, intensifying until it hit a threshold where it instantaneously dimmed. "Just had a feeling you didn't want to see that."

 **Flash**.

When the light faded away, Remi was left giggling.

"That's better. Now, where were we? Wait, why am I asking you? You don't remember anymore… Oh, right…"

* * *

 **Ξ**

 **[] Arc 1 []**

 ** _The Hunting Party  
_** **ʳᵉᵈᵘˣ**

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 5**

 _The Summoning_

 **Ξ**

* * *

"See those clouds?"

Fox frowned. "Looks like a storm."

"You _wish_ it was a storm."

"I… don't like the sound of that."

Remi giggled. "Well, I mean, just look at all of that," she said, pointing to the overcast.

The thick wall of clouds separating the recently grounded Star Fox team from the cosmos above had a distinct composition. While deep, lifeless clouds created a dome over their head, lower streaks of clouds that were much darker than the dome above formed a ridge jutting down like the silhouette of an upside-down volcano. Those clouds spun with the frenzy of a giant gaseous planet, but no wind or rain seemed to follow the blemish on the overcast sky. Being situated on a river delta just beside a vast ocean, Naval Bay was no stranger to seeing abnormal, often times destructive acts of nature. Yet… this one was seemingly harmless, and had no explanation.

"Looks like a tropical storm," Fox said with a newfound urgency. "I think we should get inside."

"Relax," Remi waved him off. "It's a vortex, but the air is getting pushed up instead of pushed out. It sounds weird because the only way this is possible is with a Cerinian incantation. Something to do with energy or whatever. It's all science to me, and I don't really care."

Fox blinked. "That doesn't sound anywhere near better than a tropical storm."

Remi just grabbed Fox by his collar. "Listen, Osprey says it's fine, so let's just get going."

"Os—" Fox cocked his head, then realized. "Oh, right."

"Cerinians don't have surnames," she commented, bouncy movements leading Fox away from their parked plane and towards the terminal. "The agency needed to give me one to be easier to document. Luckily I got to choose. Osprey is a predatory bird, which fits me. A predator. I like the ring of that."

"Sexual predator," Fox murmured under his breath.

Choosing to ignore him, she questioned, "And your _original_ name is any better?" The sarcasm dripping from her voice could melt steel.

Fox shrugged. "I've always said that my father was too busy saving the universe to put thought into what he wanted to name me."

"Saving the universe seems to be a family affair."

Again, the vulpine shrugged. "It's a good thing to put on holiday cards."

Remi giggled. "You're a funny guy. Nice and chill even though the world is probably gonna end. You and I are gonna get along well."

"Let's not even keep that in consideration," Fox interjected. "The world-ending thing you brought up."

"Just being realistic."

"Being realistic isn't what I put on my back to save the universe," Fox started. "Teams and dreams, Remi."

"I hate that one song that talks about teams."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Not what I… whatever, it's fine." Approaching the access door to the terminal, Fox spotted Falco throwing out a cigarette and stomping it into the tarmac. "Falco, hey, I—"

"What's this about stayin' in a hotel?" Falco immediately snapped. His irrational and somewhat subdued fear of public recognition forced him to wear a baggy hoodie with his head submerged within the confides of the hood. Only his beak stuck out from the side view, and it was saying words that were none too pleased.

Fox cocked his head. "I never booked one."

"Slip just said Peppy had one arranged for us," the avian commented. "And also had a few people he wanted us to team up with for this part of the mission. Listen, it's bad enough that I'm being forced out'a long break to work on this project, but the more people we add, the easier I get angry."

"Hold on, slow down," Fox pleaded. "Who?"

"Y'know, just the band of misfits and forgotten rejects," Falco grunted with the wave of his wing. "I've already met with them while you were out here cloud-gazin'."

Fox wagged his finger, urging the avian to follow him. As the two entered the terminal with Remi in tow, the vulpine said, "Remi's saying that this isn't a storm off the coast."

"Yeah, I don't believe that," he replied with little hesitation. "Slippy's detecting a lot of lightnin' in the area. And with the equipment he wanted to use, we're not gonna wanna be outside. He might as well have a lightnin' rod stickin' out his backpack."

Fox sighed. "So are we boned for today?"

"Seems like it."

"That's exactly what they wanted," Remi chimed in, smirking. "It's an unavoidable hinderance. A distraction. They're holding us here."

Fox turned his head. "Cerinians?"

" _Nooo_ , who would've guessed?"

Shrugging her off, Fox inquired, "Then where should we be?"

"Anywhere but here is my first guess," the blue vixen admitted. "But there is a positive. It's faint, but… there's another Cerinian in the city. I can feel him."

"You think he's worth chasing after?"

" _Any_ of these hecking doomsday machines with corroded brains are worth chasing after, Fox," Remi whined. "Did nothing I said last week make it through to you?"

"I've slept since then," Fox dismissively answered.

"Well if you'll allow me to take control, I've got an idea," Remi stepped in front of the two to keep them from walking. With her hands on her hips and her left leg bobbing, she explained, "Slippy will use his stuff at the hotel room to look for more places of interest, like that vortex or any other anomaly. That'll give us a good starting point to keep looking, because chances are he hasn't moved much. I'll explain more to him later. You two will mark down those places of interest and coordinate a good way to sweep through town and tag all of them tomorrow. Meanwhile, I promised Krystal another meditation session to help rebuild her telepathy. Does that sound clear?"

Both nodded.

As Remi turned around and started walking again, she commented, "By the way, I'm still waiting on a yes for our _meditation_ _session_ , Foxy."

Fox rolled his eyes. "I'd rather sleep with Falco."

"Gee, I'm flattered," Falco chirped snidely.

"I'd choose either one of you," Remi clarified. "But Fox is the leader, and he'd make use of these Cerinian abilities and use them to their full extent. I can't say the same for Falco; sorry."

Falco wanted to argue that but all that came out of his beak was a definitive, "You're not wrong."

"I'm just afraid for Fox," she added. "These Cerinians are mad with power, and I don't want to see you get hurt. They'll be able to see the trace elements of Cerinia in your head, and they'll go after you. You can protect yourself if you can build your own link to the network."

"I'll take the risk," Fox answered.

"I have a feeling you'll come to regret that decision," Remi murmured.

Falco flicked his wrist with an outstretched finger. "Listen, I'm all for an omnipotent set of mind readin' tools. If Fox wants to be stubborn, I'll gladly take them if it means I get some tail in the process."

"That's the biggest word I've ever heard you use," Fox commented.

Remi scowled at the bird. "Fox is different. I can't just hand out these skills like candy or an STD. I need a precedent I can tap into, which you don't have."

"Then what do I need to do to get that?"

Remi smirked. "I would say go get yourself possessed by a Krazoa spirit a few times, or shove Krystal's staff up your arse, but I think Fox and I need you for this mission."

"Hey, wait," Fox interrupted, shoving himself to the front of the group. He peered into the terminal and noticed a few things. In the open lobby, a sign immediately grabbed his attention. Three people anticipating their arrival stood beside Krystal and Slippy, chatting away. The middle one held a simple piece of paper marked by his team emblem. Standing from left to right was a tall, shapely lynx with large golden loops hanging from her ears, a small white canine with a crimson bow in her hair holding the aforementioned sign, and—

"Is that…" Fox whispered to himself. "That's… Oh _no way_!"

The vulpine broke into a proper sprint, all but ignoring the two girls to get to the vixen on the right. The vixen giggled as Fox practically tackled her, picking her up and forcing a tight hug on her as he started spinning to fight his momentum. Eventually he stopped, but he didn't let go of her, nor did he want to.

"I feel like I'm having déjà vu," Falco breathed to both Fay and Miyu. The two girls just laughed.

Falco took the lead and gestured to Remi. "Remi, this is Fay and Miyu, some old teammates and friends of ours. Fay, Miyu, this is Remi." He glanced over to see Fox still neck-deep in the fennec vixen's grasp. "And that's Fara. Obviously she's one of Fox's friends."

Fox finally set the fennec down, still holding her shoulders tight. "It's been forever," Fox breathed. "I haven't seen or talked to you for so long. How have you been?"

Fara just giggled at him, fluttering her iconic giant ears. "It's been fine. Just been doing my own thing. How's the Hero of Lylat."

"I hate that title," Fox chuckled, not caring in the slightest that he was blushing redder than his scarf. "I've been busy, obviously. It's been one hell of a ride."

"I see you've missed me?" Fara teased.

"Only for the past eight years or whatever," Fox laughed to keep from crying. "Like I said, it's just been way too long."

"I've missed you too, Foxy," cooed Fara, allowing another tight hug to follow.

Falco awkwardly pulled at his scarf. "Er, one of Fox's _close_ friends, I should say."

"So why are you here?" Fox asked, completely ignoring the rest of the team. "Not that I'm complaining, I'm just… why now of all times?"

"I've been stuck with freelance work for a while," she explained, running fingers through the longer tuft of tan fur atop her head. "CDF and Phoenix alike. I've been on a break for the past few weeks, but when I saw you were being commissioned for work here, I begged General Peppy to let me join. Let me tell you, negotiating terms for that was a nightmare, but," she spared a wink. "A Phoenix always gets her way."

Fox just laughed. "You're teaming up with me?"

"For as long as I can," clarified Fara. "As a matter of fact, I can tag along as long as I have room to. Well, and as long as I'm welcome, too."

Falco cleared his throat. "Oh boy, Foxy has to make a choice," he taunted. Fara finally let go of Fox to wander over to the bird. She gave him a playful sneer and a wink before giving a bump to his arm. "And don't tease me like that or I'll take you off the market."

"A lady's man such as yourself being so forward? Imagine my shock," she dramatically wiped the back of her paw across her forehead. "And you don't have one? Someone with your fame should be getting calls left and right."

Falco waved her off. "Nah, the ladies have to earn their way into my phone, not pay for it."

Fara's smile faded. "Interesting. A far cry from the bird I trained with, but I guess even toxic personalities have an expiration date eventually."

Remi snorted to herself. "Alright, who's big ears here?"

"Hey, that's my nickname I gave her," Falco grunted.

Fara scoffed. "Apparently you don't know who I am if you're going to address me like that."

"I… did _just_ ask you who you were," Remi replied with false interest.

"Fara Phoenix," the fennec answered, not bothering to offer her hand. "My father is the majority owner and operator of Phoenix Enterprises. That makes me a pretty big deal."

Remi could only giggle.

"And what's so funny about that?" Fara was quick to interrogate, only prompting Remi to laugh harder.

"Hey, relax," Fox calmly assured her, slinging an arm around her and holding her shoulder. "Remi, you ought to be a little more courteous with her. Just a suggestion."

The blue vixen's ears tilted. "I'm not the one that should be more welcoming."

"Anyway," Miyu stepped in. "We had plans for us to start looking into this whole… thing," she flicked her hands in apparent confusion. "But this storm blew in and ruined those plans. City doesn't want anyone on the streets; lots of lightning doesn't bode well for this area, especially for what we're doing."

"It's… not really a storm," murmured Remi.

Krystal tilted her head. "It's not?"

"Just some weird Cerinian shenanigans," Remi explained.

"But you're one too," said Fara. "Shouldn't you be able to stop all this?"

Again, Remi laughed almost directly at her. "Ah, this girl's a riot, I'm tellin' ya…"

Fara blinked, wanting to shoot back but instead decided to show visible contempt.

"Well, If I could, I wouldn't need any of you guys," Remi continued. "And these Cerinians would be gone and out of our fur at the drop of a hat."

"We can make the most of our situation," Slippy piped up. "I brought some tools to start analyzing the area. You know, those weird anomalies and what not; I can look for them."

Krystal's hand rose. "Remi and I can help. I'm not the strongest mind, but I bet we could find something."

"I suggested to Fox that you could look for some of those anomalies," Remi told Slippy. "Krystal and I have our own work we need to do."

"But what about the lightning?" Fay whimpered.

"I guess the CDF booked us a hotel in the area," Fox added. "I'd hate to call it a base of operations, but that's what we were given. We may have to stay there for the night and get to work tomorrow."

"I don't mean to be a diversion," Remi piped up again. "But are there any plans for food?"

"Yeah, I'm starving," added Slippy.

"I think we should get ourselves established in our room," Fox suggested. "Get familiar with our surroundings, then grab a bite. Seem fair to everyone?"

"I'm down."

"Works for me."

"Sure."

Fox nodded in approval. "Do we have transportation?"

"Fay and I have a truck y'all can fit in," Miyu shrugged. "It'll be tight but it'll work—"

"Fox can ride with me," stated Fara, tugging on the vulpine's arm. "I've got a new car parked up front that he and I can take. It should give you guys more room."

Fox cocked his ears. "Fine by me, just as long as we all get to the same place."

"I'll lead the way," Fara announced with the flick of her tail. "Try to keep up if you can."

The convoy set off for the parking lot in question. While Fara and Fox spearheaded the group, Falco hung back a bit and pulled Krystal along with him. As the team of eight traversed the giant terminal, Falco's suspicion became evident to Krystal.

"Is something wrong?" asked the vixen.

Keeping his voice low, Falco answered, "I never liked her."

"Who, Fara?" Krystal took the notion and lowered her voice too. "She's a little forward and protective, maybe a little paranoid, but she seems nice. Fox likes her a lot."

"That's because they used to be a couple years ago," Falco practically answered through his nose.

The vixen's ears drooped. "Oh, really?"

Falco nodded his head. "They really only broke up because they hadn't seen each other face-to-face in a year. That was… gotta be close to nine or ten years ago now."

He shook his head as the vixen in question slithered her fingers into Fox's hand. "I never liked her because of her family. The Phoenix name is rich with power because of heritage and sound business… yet they can't buy an ounce of charm. Fara's the definition of manipulative, just like the rest of her family."

"She doesn't seem that bad," Krystal remarked.

"Let me put it to you this way," Falco started, constantly shifting his eyes from the fennec to the Cerinian. "The reason why Fox and I aren't closer friends is because of her. I thought she was toxic and giving Fox the wrong set of ideas, especially since he was vulnerable after his father died. Foxy didn't like me talking about his girlfriend like that. If there's one thing Fox learned from Fara, it's that Fox will hold a grudge until they day he dies. He still won't drop that. Now it's looking like we're gonna have to deal with another round of that for a bit."

Krystal sighed. "I don't know. I've never seen Fox that happy."

"Take it how you want," he finished. "Just know I can't trust her. Not yet."

Remi's ear twitched. She slowed her pace, then spun around to face the other two. "My drama sense is tingling," she said with a smirk, continuously walking backwards while staying in accordance with the group. "What's up?"

Falco just turned his beak away. Krystal answered, "Falco says Fara is untrustworthy."

Remi's eyes lit up. "Ooh, fun." When she spun around, Krystal grabbed her tail and pulled her in line with herself and Falco.

"Remi, please don't say anything," Krystal nearly begged. "Fox likes her, and if she gets mad at me and Falco, then Fox won't be happy either."

"For one; _never_ pull my tail," Remi almost growled, then simply nodded. "But I get it. Don't want to get on Foxy's bad side."

"But I just don't know," Krystal added. "I want to agree with Falco, but I haven't seen anything yet."

"Giving her a chance is all she needs," muttered Falco.

"Then," Krystal scoffed, blowing hair out of her face. "Let me be wrong and find out for myself. Or find you're wrong and we'll all be good. I'm just…" she sighed. "I don't want to think ill of her when she and Fox are so close."

"You aren't jealous of that?" Remi egged on, gesturing to the held paws at the forefront.

"I just want to see our team happy," she explained.

Remi shook her head. "Just make sure you don't let anyone walk over you, Krystal."

Krystal just nodded, continuously watching the fennec and the golden vulpine interact. The way they talked and seemingly enjoyed each other's company was great to see. After all, Fox's smile and laugh were incredibly contagious to her. Yet, lagging behind the duo and still being able to see that contagious smile and laugh without her left a sour taste in her mouth.

It was a gross taste unlike anything she had ever tasted.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

The ensuing hours held nothing outstanding for the broadened Star Fox team. That's why Fox found himself in the hotel shower after dinner and the first round of research. Unsurprisingly, not much was found just sitting in the hotel room huddled around a few laptop screens. Fox didn't care for staying around that mess any longer, so he opted to take a warm shower to hopefully alleviate some stress.

Something peculiar stood out during the dinner that left Fox perplexed. It wasn't how they managed to find a halfway decent restaurant that could seat all eight of them in such a short time; Miyu always had something up her sleeve for as long as Fox knew her. It wasn't Remi racking up over one hundred credits on her bill by herself; Fox was well aware of her eating habits first-hand since he had to cook breakfast earlier that morning. It wasn't even Fara's antics; sure she had been away from Fox for years but she obviously hadn't skipped a beat in her affection towards him.

In actuality, it was with Krystal. She was unusually quiet and expressionless during dinner.

While hot water permeated his pelt, Fox kept cringing every time he thought of it. He wanted to punch the tile. He wanted to bash his head against the shower nozzle. He knew exactly what was wrong but couldn't do a damn thing about it. Not that he didn't want to, but he just couldn't.

His dream of a cooperative, bountiful harem with all of the beautiful vixens in his life hit a rock with Fara and Krystal. The Cerinian didn't have to say a thing; Fox could see the subdued ire in her eyes. Well, it wasn't much of ire, more so of indirect disappointment and longing. He'd seen that emotion in her before, when she explained she didn't have a place to go after they formally met. Fox was a sucker for those eyes, but now? It was tough. There wasn't an easy way. That lack of an easy way made Fox even more angry with himself.

A few knocks on the door broke him from thought. "What?" questioned the vulpine.

"Listen, I gotta use the bathroom," replied Remi. He knew it was her by the voice; a higher pitched version of Krystal's accent, but only if Krystal smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.

Fox groaned. "I'm in the shower."

"I didn't say I needed to shower. Just need to use the princess' throne, you know?"

"Can't you use the other room's?"

"Occupied."

Fox palmed his forehead. A combination of the steam and the glass door's texture made his frame nothing more than a distorted silhouette, and knowing this, the vulpine begrudgingly said, "Fine. Be quick about it."

He heard the door open and shut, followed by feet clicking on the tile. He just turned his back to the foggy glass and started to lather soap into his coat.

"You trying to melt your fur off?" Remi whined. "It's so hot in here."

"Hot water relaxes me," was all Fox answered with.

"You do you," the Cerinian shrugged.

"Since you're in here," Fox started, but was instantly cut off.

"Nah, I don't need to shower yet. I'll let you have your privacy."

Fox grunted, "Not what I was gonna say. I was gonna ask how the meditation session went. Or did you two not have it yet?"

"Oh, we did," she replied. "And it's going well. It's not taking as much time as I thought to rebuild Krystal's telepathy. It more of a wilted flower than a dead bush. Er, that's not a good comparison… how about—"

"I get it," the vulpine assured. "So when do you think she'll have everything back?"

"A Cerinian doesn't just get everything back like this," Remi explained. "We never stop learning. Even Alphas are constantly honing their network; optimizing it to work under different conditions and acquire new skills. I'll teach as much as I know to Krystal, but saying that, we're helping each other more than I thought. Even _I_ am starting to feel better about myself, my network. I'm feeling stronger every time Krystal and I do this."

"I don't know whether to be scared or impressed."

"Does both work?"

Fox just breathed, letting suds fall from his fur and disappear down the drain.

"So what was up with you at the dinner?"

"What about me?"

"I may be a little blind, but I could still see something was a little off," she paused for a moment. "You felt… conflicted."

"Maybe because I am," he murmured into the water stream.

Remi whistled softly. "Right. Fara. That's gonna make things interesting, no?"

"I'd rather not discuss this."

"Yeah, what's the deal with you and her?" she asked, completely ignoring his plea.

"She and I dated for a year or two…" Fox reluctantly explained, but quickly found himself talking to himself more than Remi. His tone becoming more and more introspective and skeptical, he continued, "But that was eight years ago, and when I split off to do Star Fox, she and I just… stopped talking. We were too busy to meet back up. Truth be told, I almost forgot about her. Clearly she hasn't forgotten about me, but is that what either of us need right now? That was so long ago, and we've changed since then… She's a good friend—don't get me wrong… but she's insisting we pick up where we left off and… I don't know if I want to commit to that; especially now with Krystal on the team…"

Remi clicked her tongue. "I don't think Krystal is the one that needs meditation sessions."

"I just need time to think," Fox tried to convince himself, even though the thought of doing so made him more anxious.

"That's… _literally_ what meditation is."

"I mean by myself," clarified Fox.

"For situations like that, it's better to have a neutral third-party help guide you. I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty much the only one you have available right now."

"Not gonna happen," Fox's anxiety made his voice falter ever so slightly. "I don't have any reason to trust you in that aspect, 'cause for all I know you'll just screw with my mind and make me choose you, which is weird."

"Will _not_ ," pouted Remi.

"Plus, you're a minor, so that's even worse."

Remi scoffed. "Just because I'm seventeen doesn't mean I'm a minor. I like to think I'm more _experienced_ than most girls my age, thank you."

"I didn't need to know that," Fox murmured.

"Well hey," Remi changed the subject, signified by the flushing toilet. "I'm still open for a talk if you need it. Just feel like, since I'll be on the team for a while and going around with you guys, I want everyone feeling their best. I don't want any of that confliction messing with the dynamic."

Fox exhaled again. "Thanks. I'll keep an open mind, okay?"

"Good. Maybe that's not the only thing you should keep an _open mind_ on, no?"

Fox didn't have time to reply, as Remi walked out soon after she said that. He could barely hear her fading giggle as she put distance between herself and the door.

Shaking his head, Fox finished washing up before turning off the water and drying himself off. A few minutes later, the vulpine exited the bathroom wearing baggy clothes and wearing a pair of thick-rimmed glasses over his eyes.

The hotel rooms the team were presented with were standard issue; two beds in either room, a loveseat, a few desks and tables, a TV mounted on the wall, and the corner of the room occupied with everyone's suitcases and clothes. All seven of his other team members stood around the room, talking and discussing points wherever appropriate. Both Fara and Krystal appeared happy to see him, which made his heart ache even more.

"Any word on sleeping arrangements?" Fox questioned to the room's occupants.

"What's with the glasses?" Falco predictably chirped.

"Helps me see through bullshit," he quipped, almost as if he had rehearsed that answer in front of a mirror many times before. He sat on the bed closest to the window, pulling a leg underneath the other in the process. Grabbing his tablet off the bedside table, he continued. "I wanted to look at a little more data before I go to sleep, but I wanted to know how we're divvying up the rooms."

Falco glanced at the time displayed on the bottom of the TV. "Yeesh, it's late."

"Yeah, and the weather doesn't look like it'll clear up by tomorrow."

Fara hacked. "Yuck. I hate working in the rain."

"Luckily I brought a few umbrellas," Slippy grinned. "It won't be too bad, right?"

"Just as long as there's no lightning," Miyu commented.

"Did you bring a big enough umbrella for you and your ego?" Falco asked. Slippy chose not to reply.

Remi yawned. "So what's our sleeping arrangements?"

"I call sharing Fox's bed," Fara piped up, moving herself over to sit beside Fox on the bed.

"Miyu and I will take the other here," Fay giggled.

Remi scoffed and spread herself out on the loveseat. "I'd much rather stay here than share a bed with either of them," she gestured to the frog and the bird standing near the doorway separating the two rooms.

"I have posture problems," Slippy sheepishly commented. "I'd prefer a bed."

Fox crossed both legs on the bed. "You guys can sort the other room out. It's late, and everyone should probably get to bed. I'd like to get started as soon as possible tomorrow."

"This rain is making me sleepy anyway," Fara cooed, nuzzling up to the golden vulpine as noticeably as she could.

"I oughta get some rest too," Falco scratched his head. "Night fellas."

"Do you think room service brought extra pillows," Slippy quietly asked while following the bird into the other bedroom.

"The hell if I know," he replied, voice muffled as the dividing door shut.

Silent for the entirety of that exchange, Krystal looked over at Remi, almost as if to ask for guidance. The younger vixen merely shrugged. _What?_

 _What do I do?_

 _Why are you asking me?_

 _I thought you said—_

 _Doesn't matter. I don't like Fox like you do. Just go talk to him. It's you, not me._

 _But with Fara—_

 _Don't worry about her, just do you._

Krystal exhaled and gingerly peeled herself off the loveseat. With tail tucked between her legs, she inched over to Fox's bed. Fara instinctively gave her a glare, but assumed a positive expression once Fox glanced over at her. Voice feeble and quivering, she said, "Fox, I… thought we'd be sharing."

Fara didn't let Fox answer. "Sorry, hon. Fox and I have some catching up we need to do," she responded, conveying enough ego in her tone to get under Krystal's fur but not enough to make Fox suspicious.

Fox hated to agree, but he shamefully nodded his head anyway. "Sorry Krys. Maybe next time?"

"That's okay," Krystal lied to herself and the two vulpines. With ears pinned back, she added, "Well, goodnight. See you in the morning."

Fox could only watch with a guilty conscience as the azure vixen peeled the divider door back and slipped into the other room. Once the door clicked shut, Remi hummed loud enough for the two to hear.

"And the drama tightens," she sneered playfully. "And can I steal a blanket?"

Fox sighed and threw the Cerinian the sheet folded on his bed, then laid back on his pillow. "I feel bad for her," he breathed. Fara wasted no time in cuddling up to him.

"She'll be okay," she assured quietly. "This is my first night with you in years, you know?"

Fox sighed again. "I don't want to keep giving that excuse. I've been shoving her aside way too much _already_ ever since you joined, and I don't think she deserves that. She's still one of my best friends, and I hate to keep—"

"If she's one of your best friends, she'd understand how much reuniting with me meant to you," Fara suggested. "Besides, Fox, if you really had a choice, who would you pick?"

"I don't want to answer that."

"Why?"

"Because I _can't_ answer that. I don't want to pick favorites, especially if it's between my teammates and friends."

Fara exhaled rather loudly. "Let me break it down. Would you rather have the second-best mercenary outfit—only behind yourself, of course—or some blue psychic that only looks pretty and can talk to dinosaurs?"

"I really don't want to fight over this."

"I know who I'd pick," Fara continued with pride. "And if you're holding off because you think she's an easy mate, well, here's the thing… You'd already be with her if you cared about her as much as you care for me. I hate to say it, but I don't think you can argue that."

Again, Remi just hummed, biting her lower lip.

Fox started rubbing his forehead. "Krystal doesn't deserve being tossed out like this. She's my friend, and—"

"Fox, Krystal doesn't deserve _you_ ," Fara started to get serious. "You think that she's somehow indebted to you after saving her life or whatever? In my honest opinion, it seems like she's only in the picture because she's attracted to _what you did_ to save her, not because of who you are. Besides, what does she have to offer? She's not a real mercenary and you know it."

"She is," Fox argued. "She's incredible, and a very quick learner. I wouldn't trade her services for anything."

Fara's head cocked. "Not even me?"

"Fara, please—"

"Answer that: would you trade her for me?"

"Why are you so obsessed over this?" Fox abruptly inquired.

"Because she's _obsessed_ over you, Fox," Fara balked. "Are you really that blind to your team's emotions? How they feel about you? Listen, Krystal is totally obsessed with you because of what you did for her, and now she thinks that she owes you but doesn't know how to go about it. I don't blame her for that; she's obviously never been put in that situation before."

"Fara—"

"And Fox, it sounds familiar because that's how we were eight years ago! Oh, and let's not forget to mention that I could _taste_ her jealousy when she found out who I was and how much I meant to you. She thinks I'm a threat to a relationship that won't break the glass ceiling."

"If I was in her shoes I would be too," Fox stammered.

"Fox," Fara started out calm. "Listen to me. You are better than who you think you are. You don't have to sink to Krystal's level just because you think you owe her this. Don't kid yourself; you know that you'd much rather be with me because of who I am, what we had before, and what I have to offer now. Krystal can't compete with any of that."

"I don't want this to be a competition."

"Then don't let it. Just say you want to pick up where we left off and leave Krystal out. I don't have a problem with you two being friends, I'm just saying that I have more value as a partner."

Fox felt sick that he couldn't rebuke her. Fara was right for most of it, and the things she wasn't right about didn't add up to enough to discredit her. He'd hate himself if he answered either way. Krystal didn't deserve this treatment, but Fara didn't deserve to be ignored. She did bring up points about having been in this situation before, but that was years ago. Did that really matter anymore?

Fox could only exhale deeply. "Okay, fine," he said, practically choking on his tongue. "If you want to be my girlfriend again so bad, fine. But if I see you get nasty with Krystal even _once_ , it's over. Do we have a deal?"

Fara just purred, tightening her grip on Fox further. "It's good to have you back."

"Don't be getting like this already," Fox started, pushing one of her arms away.

Fara's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I'm mad at you for putting me on the spot like that."

Fara just flicked her paw at him. "Oh relax. You know I did you a favor."

"By making me feel awful about choosing one of my best friends over another?"

"It's not like that," the fennec assured. "Listen, Foxy, we never really broke up. We just got separated and didn't have time to meet back up. Think of this as returning to the good days of just you and I, right? Phoenix and McCloud against the world? Remember that?"

"Still doesn't change what you tried to make me do."

"Don't be a baby about it," Fara dismissed him. "Remember? A Phoenix always gets what she wants. I'm not being pushy, I'm just seeing things as they way they should be and the way that they'll work the best. I graduated at the top of my class for a reason, Fox, and it's not by being pushy."

Fox just rubbed at his eyes. "Whatever. I'm getting some sleep."

"It'll be easy now that you're with me again," Fara cooed, forcing herself into Fox's arms. He didn't feel particularly good about that.

Fox swore he could see Remi glaring at him through closed eyes.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

With an ear pressed against the door, Krystal just bared her teeth and scowled, hoping to burn a hole right through the door. The vixen had to pace around the room for a few seconds to calm herself down. By the time she did, she almost wanted to cry. The sour taste in her mouth returned.

Disgusted, she wandered to the sink in the bathroom and spat in it, but the taste refused to leave. A drink of water later, it still stayed. She hated it and wanted it gone. It didn't belong in her mouth. It wasn't who she was. It was the taste that the shallow-hearted and insecure people got, and she was neither of those things. Well, at least she thought of herself as neither of those things. Was that something she needed to think about? It couldn't be true, could it?

Nevertheless, she was tired, and only had one place to turn to. Just as before, she timidly approached the bed and gently tugged at the covers.

"Falco?"

The blue avian rolled over to look. "Hey. What is it?"

"Do… you mind if I share?"

Falco's sleepy eyes narrowed. "I thought…?"

"They kicked me out," she tried her best not to growl, but it almost seemed like she was snarling through her words.

Falco needed no other explanation, as he almost instantly peeled back half of the covers and inched over to the other side. "Help yourself."

"Thank you," the vixen sighed, gingerly sliding into the open space Falco left her. She didn't know how to behave or react in this situation, so she only occupied a fraction of the bed space allotted to her. Awkward would be an understatement to describe her right about now.

As she covered herself up, Falco snidely commented, "Hey, don't leave me all cold over here."

"Sorry," Krystal blushed. "I'm just… mad."

"As I can tell."

"They just… threw me away. Said I wasn't comparable, in a bad way."

"Fuck them," Falco snapped into his pillow. "They wanna be like that, then fine. I won't help them when shit eventually goes down."

Krystal could only sigh.

"See what I mean about the manipulation here? It's only gonna get worse until it blows up in their face. They brought it on themselves, which is why I don't get involved."

Falco rolled to face her.

"You know what? You're better than them. You deserve better than them. Don't let them change who you are. That's all I have to say."

Krystal forced a grin. "Thanks."

"Get some rest," Falco said before rolling back over.

The rain slapping the window didn't ease her tensions as much as she thought they might. It was all just a swirl of emotions; as if everything she had known wasn't what it seemed to be at all. She felt sick… that she was lied to for so long only to just now realize why. She wanted to think better of it, that it wasn't what she was feeling, but that returning taste in her mouth said otherwise. That taste was so disgusting. The worst taste she had ever had the misfortune to know.

She was better than this; she told herself that all the time. Do not envy what others possess, as it only creates troubles for yourself. Do not think ill of your friends and companions because of a gift or possession that you do not have, as it will shatter your bonds and leave you with nothing. Pick yourself up and think better of the situation, lest others pass you by.

This wasn't who she was, to have such distaste in her mouth. She was the helpful mother; the guardian people could look to for help and the rock people could cry on. If there was one thing she remembered about her "past life", it was this. She never hated. Never deserted. Never thought ill of friends. Never felt a shred of this awful taste on her tongue. This wasn't who she was. This won't be who she is. It can't.

Was this her mistake? It couldn't have been, unless the time she wasted—misused even—finally caught up with her? No, that wasn't it either. Why was that taste still there?

It was going to be a long, sleepless night, wasn't it?


	6. 1 — Drawbar

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 1 []**

 ** _The Hunting Party  
_** _ **ʳᵉᵈᵘˣ**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 6**

 _Drawbar_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: I have a poll posted on my (still incomplete) profile regarding the content you all are comfortable seeing in this story. Be warned; as some choices in that poll will result in me upping the rating. So, another friendly reminder to follow the story so that you don't miss an update.**_

 _ **I've been very happy with the positive reception and the engagement this story has gotten, and I'm very glad that you guys are as excited about this story as I am. I told myself I'll update more frequently as this next college semester starts, so look forward to those! For now, please enjoy! Don't forget that your reviews mean the world to me, and I'd love to see your input!  
**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 _ ** **Ξ****_

* * *

Breakfast the next morning came early for Fox and friends. In the dining hall of the hotel, the bloated Star Fox team began to huddle around a few tables to get to discussing today's plan of attack, while getting some much-needed nourishment in the process. Being as it was a little past 8 in the morning, almost everyone had a cup of coffee on-hand as they started filling the table.

To nobody's surprise, Fox and Fara sat beside each other. Krystal eyed this with more subdued contempt, but for fear of letting that awful taste return, she expressed no hesitation in sitting beside Falco on the other side of the table. Fox, thinking better of this weird development, started the conversation off strong.

"So, Slip, how's the weather?"

"Rain," Slippy replied. "Rain _forever_. But there's no lightning, so we should be okay if you don't mind getting wet."

Miyu took a sip of her coffee. "I don't like rain. It's gross, cold, and it gets everywhere."

"The rain's gonna mess up my outfit," Fara grumbled.

"Well, hey, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we'll get to go back inside."

Remi's fake hearty laugh stopped Fox from explaining further. "You don't seem to know how this works," she began, double-fisting two heaping plates of food. Four toasted bagels equating to eight different surfaces for eight different spreads filled one plate, while the other held a pyramid of assorted donuts, a heaping pile of scrambled eggs, and a double-digit stack of bacon strips. Fara looked at the plates with disgust as the Cerinian sat at the "head" of the table, knowing she wouldn't be able to eat that much in a _week_ , let alone one sitting.

Falco narrowed his eyes. "Do tell, o' black hole of food."

"Do you want the simple answer, or the answer that inflates the word count?"

"Surprise me."

The Cerinian's sharp canines punctured one of her donuts. "So I had my big epiphany on the toilet this morning. Is that the right way to use it? Oh anyway; so… …what if I told you guys that we're wasting our time here?"

The collective sounds of knives and forks hitting plate answered her.

"But I mean," she continued. "We're not, either. We shouldn't be here, but we should, you know? Does that make sense?"

"It's too early for this," Falco mumbled.

"So what exactly are you saying?" Fox took the lead. "Are we wasting our time or no?"

"Well, I can't answer that," Remi shrugged. "Like, we don't have anything to gain immediately, but we don't have anywhere else we need to be. The Cerinians are off doing crazier stuff all over the system and we're sitting here trying to chase down a Paladin that has objectively no substantial bearing in the overall mission."

She wolfed down a bagel. "But what's dumb is that we need to be here, otherwise we'd be doing nothing. So, like…" she hesitated, trying to think of words to say. "We're just wasting time."

"We're wasting time…" Fox started slow. "…by being in the place we need to be in… but we should be somewhere else?"

Remi poked at him with her fork. "Yes."

"That really doesn't make sense."

"Sure it does," Remi explained. "So we're here because a Paladin is in the area. I know that much. But we don't have anything to gain by taking down a single Paladin. The Alphas are who we must deal with, but we don't know where they are. That's why I say that we should be somewhere else… but we also need to be here, because this Paladin is all we have."

Fara blinked.

"What I'm saying is that this is just a giant distraction to buy time for the Alphas for whatever the heck they wanna do. They know that we're trying to track them down, but don't know how. Instead of us searching for the Alphas in the void of space and possibly stumbling upon wherever their base of operations is, we're given a Paladin to chase and preoccupy ourselves with. It's a distraction."

"Then why are we bothering with the Paladin?" asked Fox.

"This Paladin may tell us where we need to look. This is probably unlikely, but it's better than doing nothing."

"So we're falling for the distraction?"

"Head over heels."

Fox shook his head and took a sip of coffee.

Skeptical, Miyu piped up, "So this is really all for nothing?"

"Hey, not _nothing_ ," Remi said into one of her bagels. "And don't push what kinds of phrases we can say; we're already in some hot water for this arc."

"What do we need to do?" Fay asked. "Miyu and I want to help as best we can."

"I think I have an idea," Fox started. "Since we don't know where the Paladin is, we should—"

" _Yet_ ," Remi interjected with a face full of bacon. "You forgot the _yet_."

"Let Foxy finish," Fara snipped back. "And you shouldn't interrupt people; especially with your mouth full."

Remi laughed. "Did I put my knife on the right side of the plate?" she teased, while Fara replied with a scoff.

"Anyway," interjected the vulpine. "Miyu, Fay; since you two know the area the best, I'll have Slippy join you in combing the city. Slip, mark down every area you see some sort of anomaly come up on your instruments."

"Will do," Slippy smiled.

Fox turned to Krystal. "Krys; I want you to go with Remi. You two should try to track down the Paladin. Remi; if you're saying you can feel that Paladin in the city, try to find him. Just do what you can."

Krystal just nodded along. "Okay."

"Falco, Fara, and I will wander around downtown," he concluded. "We'll talk with people in the area, see if they have any info to tell. Any little bit is important since we really don't have any to start with. Is that clear to everyone?"

Everyone around the table gave a definitive nod.

"Great," Fox grinned. "As soon as we finish up breakfast, we'll get going."

"It'll take a while for her to finish," Fara commented at Remi. The vixen in reply set down her fork with an audible clang.

"At least I look like I eat," she shot back, hiding behind her donut pyramid. "And I need my food; don't rush me."

"To be honest, you really don't look like you eat either," Miyu shrugged. Remi narrowed her eyes and kept eating.

Fara scoffed. "You think I got this body by not eating? Hon, it takes a lot more than that."

Remi snickered to herself. "Well seeing as I just met you, my initial thoughts were that you paid for that body, but that just seems silly."

Fara's ear fluttered. "There _are_ some things money can't buy."

"You're telling me," Remi laughed into a bagel. "I'd buy a little compassion; enough to share of course."

"Fox," Fara whined.

"Remi, seriously," Fox took the notion, suddenly assuming his leadership voice. "Lay off it just a bit."

"She started it."

"And I'm ending it," grunted Fox. "I'm not having this job compromised by bickering, especially from you."

Remi set down her fork again. "I didn't do anything; I was just joking around."

"Words can hurt," Fara snipped. Fox's expression told the Cerinian that he wasn't going to intervene in her favor, so she merely rolled her eyes and continued to eat away at her plates.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

There was an eerie, indescribable aura of uncertainty befalling Naval Bay's downtown plaza. Stark reminders of why the team had to visit surrounded them as they took in their surroundings. Fox had already gone over the available shops in the area as per his plan, yet he still couldn't avoid looking around after each talk with a local. What used to be a massive tourist hub full of life and diversity more resembled a military capital fallen after a quick, one-sided battle. Fox had seen enough of those in his day, yet it didn't make the feeling any better. He felt sick, powerless, and antsy.

"Only one person did this," Fox breathed under the cover of rain. He was referencing the teams of building inspectors covering busted windows and bolted doors with caution tape and boards. Skyscrapers designed to withstand storms that frequently found home in the sea just to their east were rendered uninhabitable. Visible cracks could be seen in their foundations, and even the slightest gusts of wind from the ongoing storm would make them sway and crack further.

"Any word on Remi?" Falco asked.

"I told her to meet back up here," Fox replied with eyes still skyward. Falco had to pull the vulpine out of the way of a streetsweeper, which crept along the sidewalk, scrubbing the grime away and sweeping up glass fragments still leftover.

"Fox," Falco grunted. "C'mon dude."

"Sorry," he replied insincerely and shortly. "There's just so much here… So much damage from what we know almost nothing about…"

Falco looked around, but didn't get the same visceral reaction Fox had. He could count on one hand how many panes of glass weren't shattered or cracked. The sidewalks held deep gashes from what he could only reason that cars or heavy objects fell back down to the ground. The only lights from the city square he could see were from construction vehicles; the flashing yellow lights glancing off the damp streets. While the sky above wasn't as dark, the feeling of being down here felt overshadowed by something bigger… something they didn't know enough about.

There were areas that they couldn't get to because of the damage, so Fox, Falco, and Fara went to seek cover in a small café on the edge of the plaza. What windows the little place had been boarded up, but the owner must've hastily scribbled " **we're still open!** " with paint on the boards. Inside wasn't much better of a story than outside; hardly any patrons, and some employees were working on cleaning the damage up. Even so, the team managed to grab some lunch here.

Part of Fox was happy that the windows were boarded up so that he didn't have to look outside. He absently ate his sandwich, staying quiet while staring at odd things. Falco and Fara's mutual dislike of each other let the trio eat in almost complete silence. It took quite a while before Slippy, Miyu, and Fay met them at their table.

"Anything, Slip?" Falco asked.

"Nothing," he admitted. "And we looked everywhere. My range covered the whole city!"

"Not even a blip," added Miyu.

"I was beginning to think that my machines were broken…" Slippy looked down. "Sorry guys, I got nothing."

"Neither do we," Fox replied distantly. "Did either of you guys see Remi or Krystal?"

"Nope," Fay answered.

"I didn't see them," Miyu shrugged. "They might still be looking."

"Looking for what?" Fara scoffed. "This is starting to become silly and pointless. We don't even know what we're looking for!"

"Even I'm losing faith," Fox muttered. "But I can't just leave. Not yet."

"Why?" asked Miyu.

"Ol Foxy was looking around too much," Falco explained to the trio. "I think it's getting to him."

"Well yeah!" Fay interjected. "There's so much damage! So many people got hurt! Of course it will get to ya!"

Falco just sighed. "Anyway… the sooner we get this done, the better. I've got a bad feeling about this place."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Unbeknownst to her, Krystal walked behind Remi with similar awe to Fox's, in that she was sickened by the damage and mortified knowing a single person did this. What made it worse was that they weren't close to the main plaza at all, which was supposedly the epicenter of the giant anomaly. Walking around gridlocked streets and packed sidewalks did little to mask the carnage seen block after block. Having never seen anything like this before, she clung to Remi for added safety and comfort.

Fearful of being in public when her appearance was so deviant from everyone else's—only amplified by what the ongoing situation was—all that the vixen revealed was her cuffed tail and the tapered end of her muzzle. She justified her seclusion by staying relatively dry in the rain, which hadn't let up since this morning and showed no signs of stopping.

Remi, however, was less ashamed of her appearance, and not in an extreme way. She looked like she belonged on a ranch out in rural Corneria with her red and black plaid shirt, but also showed her urban appeal with a sleeveless vest and tight, black pants. They were Cerinian; of course their taste in fashion didn't reflect the society they were in. Regardless, they didn't draw an unbearable number of eyes, which was their intention. They simply walked around the areas that they could in hopes that one or the other would be struck with brilliance.

"Fox is in a café at the plaza," Krystal told her younger counterpart.

"Tell him we'll meet in a few," Remi replied. She stopped, looked around for a handful of seconds, then kept walking. When this repeated a few more times, Krystal grew curious.

"Find something?"

"His presence is growing stronger," said Remi. "Which way am I going?"

Krystal checked her phone screen. "Towards the main plaza."

"Where Fox is?"

"Yes. You don't think—"

"He's not aware of us," Remi quickly added. "Most of his mental capacity is focused on something that I can't quite distinguish… He doesn't know we're here, but he will if he sees us."

"How do you know?"

Remi chuckled sheepishly. "Well, to be fair I don't know if that's true. Just an educated guess. Technically I'm not lying. Just misinformed."

Krystal started rubbing her wrists. Faint thoughts from those she passed by were beginning to pile on, but she stayed calm and collected behind Remi. She did feel a bit safer knowing that her staff was collapsed and hidden in her heavy coat, but that odd feeling of being perpetually watched—a feeling she's always known but merely suppressed—still felt stronger than ever now.

It took quite a bit for the two vixens to get back to the city square, but when they did, they were greeted by Fox and the rest of the team. Fox asked for their information, to which Remi relayed her findings and explained what she was going after. Without much to add in her favor, Fox obliged with her request and allowed her to see the carnage at the city's plaza for herself.

She stopped after walking a few feet, taking note of a few street performers hiding under the overhang of the surrounding buildings. Soon after, she looked at her feet, then back in front of her. "He's extremely close," she commented, again combing over her surroundings with a low yellow glow in her eyes.

"You're sure?" Falco questioned.

"No."

The bird slapped his forehead. "Then why did—"

"Can you shush a second?" Remi shoved a paw in his face. "I need… to concentrate…"

"Why?"

"Because… I think he knows."

"He?"

"The cockwaffle we've been stalking, numb-nuts," Remi sneered.

"…cockwaffle?"

" _Please_ stop talking, Falco," breathed Remi. "I can almost—"

"Oh for crying out loud; can we just go home?" Fara whined, standing under an overhang to get out of the rain. A street performer with a guitar looked at the vixen for a moment, nearly ogling her for a split-second before resuming his song.

Fox tried to interject, "Fara, wait—"

"We haven't found anything, and we're wasting out time in the rain," moaned the vixen. "This is so dumb and all of you know it."

"That's exactly what he wants us to do," Remi retorted. "I'm not giving up… He's getting closer…"

"So when we finally find this guy, he'll just kill us since he was the one that did this," Fara huffed. "I'll take my chances elsewhere. Come on, Fox; let's get out of here."

"Hold on," Fox stood his ground. "Just relax a bit, okay?" Fara would have argued more, but Fox stopped her with a quick kiss. She still wasn't satisfied, opting to glare daggers at the Cerinian.

"Let me think for a bit," Remi insisted.

"No," Fara defiantly argued. "Listen; I've had enough of this weather, this mission, and this self-righteous teenager. Just admit you don't know what you're doing so we can leave!"

Remi just laughed at her. "I _do_ know what I'm doing, as a matter of fact."

"Sure doesn't look that way."

Fox shook his head. "Remi, maybe she's got a point. We really haven't found much, and—"

"Shut your trap for _one second_ ," Remi groaned. "I can't concentrate with both of you whining."

"Oh so it's my fault _again_?" shot Fara. "Is there something you don't like about me or something? I try to be nice and cooperate with you but you all have some sort of ego-trip that—"

"Ego-trip?" Remi balked sarcastically. "Need I remind you of the first things you said to us when you forced yourself into this team?"

"Unbelievable!" Fara yipped, immediately tugging on Fox's arm. "Do you hear this? Fox, do something!"

"Listen, Remi, I—"

"Oh don't you get on her case," grunted Remi. "Just shut up a second, I think I—"

"And yet _another_ excuse to get away from facing facts," snipped Fara.

"Can you let me do my job?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"Your job—for all I care—can be to…" she trailed off and looked right into Fara's eyes, instantly skeptical.

"Oh, please, finish your thought," Fara egged on maliciously, unable to sound any more fake and sarcastic. "I can wait."

Remi blinked a few times, yet still did not break her stare on the fennec. Starting to feel slightly uncomfortable—which Remi definitely noticed—Fara broke eye contact and looked at Fox as if to ask him for help. When the vulpine tried, Remi's eyes finally erupted into that odd, glowing yellow.

"You're not fooling me you little twerp."

Remi then snatched the guitar out of the street performer's hands. Before Fox could protest, she whipped the guitar behind her head by its neck, and struck down on Fara's head with enough force to scatter an avalanche of splinters. Fara immediately fell to the ground in a heap without another word. Startled and scared, the bystanders around them backed away from the incident, while a few others went to check on the injured vixen.

Fox snapped, abruptly grabbing Remi's ear and damn near pulling it off as he yanked her away. The vixen whined in protest, but he couldn't care less. "Remi!" he snarled, fire burning in his eyes that came awfully close to intimidating Remi. "Why did you do that?!" He pushed the Cerinian and knelt near Fara. "Oh no, Fara, are you okay?"

Still holding the severed neck of the guitar, Remi snarled back, "Don't chastise me! That isn't Fara!"

"Like hell it isn't!" retorted Fox, totally irate. "You're just pissy that she had a point and you were just mad! You know what; I've had enough of your crazy, immature behavior! I ought to send you back to Peppy for doing this, so he can throw you in an asylum!"

"Like that would work," scoffed Remi.

Fox tended to Fara more. "Oh my gosh… Fara, please let me know you're okay."

"I'm fine," a voice behind him spoke. Fox bolted up to come face to face with…

 _Fara_?

Fox's jaw fell to the ground. "Wait…"

"I just had to use the restroom at the café," Fara explained with a smile. "You guys left without me. Must not have heard me, no?" Her smile quickly faded when she saw the numerous eyes staring back at her. "What? What did I do? What happened?"

Wide-eyed, Fox looked down at the unconscious Fara, then back to the other Fara, then back down to the prone and possibly dead Fara, then back at the confused Fara. "Wait… you're… not…"

Fox froze in place as the steady rainfall stopped instantly. Raindrops on their way down suddenly became frozen in time, suspended in mid-air. He turned around just in time to see the vixen Remi had just clobbered shed a dense cloud of dust. The crowd gathered around them backed away further as the cloud spread out. When the dust thinned, standing in its wake was a gold-plated canine with navy blue fur and traditional tribal garb; gaining two feet, adding well over a hundred pounds, and swapping genders from his previous alteration. The umbrella the vixen was holding transformed into a staff nearly twice the size of Krystal's, glowing brightly as if a star became trapped in the crowning jewel. Thanks to Remi, blood leaked from an open gash on the navy canine's head and created a crimson river between his glowing violet eyes.

To the convoy's surprise, the canine cracked a small grin.

"You have not lost a step, Remilia," he growled, his gritty voice ghostly and outlandish, yet still strong and intimidating. "Unfortunately for you and your friends, you have made a grave mistake. Finding me proves that your skills have not dulled over the years, but next to me, you are pathetic."

"Shut up," snapped Remi, boasting her own glowing eyes. She stepped forward in the group, assuming the lead role while defiantly holding her ground. Her expression held no fear. "You brought this on yourself. All of you have."

The Cerinian barked out a laugh. "Amusing. You think you can defy the Alphas. They warned myself and the other Paladins of deserters like you. Traitors that foolishly defy their ideals. Previous brothers and sisters lost to the void of ignorance. Your immoral attachment to this corrupt world has left you lost and broken like everyone else."

"No, _you_ have," argued Remi, a smirk appearing on her face. "I recognize you, Karyu. You're the one. You tried to kill me on Cerinia. You're the one that _broke_ me."

"You broke yourself, Remilia; the moment you defected from the Alphas' plan," the Paladin Karyu shot back. "I only followed through with the Alphas' demands to have you killed. You were lucky I had a shred of compassion and refused to slaughter a child as you were then. It was a shame you had to rebel like this. The Alphas had high hopes for you."

"You and the Alphas are disgusting, self-righteous, sadistic dreamers," Remi hacked. "And that's saying something coming from me."

Karyu shook his head. "You are just like the rest of them. Indoctrinated by misleading tangibles. Such a fall from grace from a young, promising Cerinian. How did your youthful daydreams corrupt you so?"

He didn't let Remi reply, opting to shake his head and regrip his staff. "I digress. As much as it goes against my moral compass, it is a shame I did not kill you sooner; the pain of seeing you so misled cuts deep. A shame I do not pity thee now when I did years ago."

"The thing is…" Remi began, shifting her feet. "You really wish you could have killed me sooner, because the way you destroyed my mind… I'm more dangerous than you could ever expect. Unlike the other people you slaughtered on Cerinia, you can't control my mind… not when even _I_ can't control it sometimes. Your confidence is baseless. You're _powerless_ against me."

"That may be so," the Paladin chuckled, tapping the ground with his staff. At that moment, the raindrops suspended in the air parted between himself and Remi. Remi assumed a fighting stance, but Karyu did not antagonize. "But without your friends, you cannot stand a chance of fighting back."

Karyu tapped the ground once more, and aside from Krystal, everyone surrounding them suddenly cast their gaze straight up into the overcast; their eyes going completely white before glowing a pale blue. Remi looked back to see Fox, Falco, and the others completely stiff and blank, completely taken over by the power of his staff.

She turned back to him and snarled, "Leave my friends out of this. You want me, not them."

"They will not be harmed," assured Karyu, though his glowing eyes screamed that he couldn't be trusted with anything. "I am ensuring that they will not stop me from finishing the job I started. You are a danger to yourself, Remilia. As much as you are blind to it and reluctant to change it, you are a danger to yourself, the Cerinians, and the Alpha's grand vision of a perfect world. A perfect world devoid of dreamers like you that are so easily tainted by the foul odor of sin. Should I somehow fail to apprehend you… a culture shock will be in your future, sooner than you realize."

Remi looked over her shoulder to Krystal. While she seemed hesitant, the glow in Remi's eyes seemed to calm her down. She simply nodded. Turning to look at Karyu again, Remi just giggled…

A psychotic, otherworldly aura lacing her voice.


	7. 1 — Rebellion ((breakdown))

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 1 []**

 ** _The Hunting Party  
_** _ **ʳᵉᵈᵘˣ**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 7**

 _Rebellion_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: Boss battle time! I've recommended some background music, but it is optional if you don't like reading with music in the background. And just so you guys know, this will not be the only time battles like this are featured. I have a silly amount of them planned for the future, so get used to this sort of format. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy! As this is my first battle in a story like this, feedback is appreciated now more than ever. Thanks in advance! :)**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 **{{Breakdown}}**

 **{{"Receptor – Princess"}}**

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Karyu impaled the ground with the pointed end of his staff, splitting the already fractured concrete apart in its wake. He took a step back from it, allowing the crystal crowning the staff to glow brighter. As if the people surrounding Krystal and Remi were hooked by the heart, they rose off the ground to clear the battlefield. Karyu then drew a broadsword from his side; the polished blade as wide as his arm, as long as Remi, and sharp enough to cut through time and space itself.

"This is your last warning, Remilia," Karyu sneered. "The Alphas may still find you useful. I do not have to kill you. All you need to—"

Quick as lightning, Remi slung the severed guitar neck at the Paladin as if she had just hit a home-run, managing to catch the imposing canine right between the legs. Karyu wheezed and faltered, and before he could fight back, Remi dashed up and caught him with a straight knee to the jaw. Karyu fell flat, allowing Remi to swipe the dagger strapped to his side. For Remi, that might as well have been a short-sword, so upon grabbing it, she attempted to cleave down to end the fight early. Karyu's great sword blocked her, then he managed to kick her away. Remi rolled through the kick, but didn't advance. She still held the blade towards the Cerinian with an icepick grip as he regained his footing.

"Dirty coward," the canine growled, wiping away some blood from his head. He rushed forward and followed through with a heaving downward slash that cut the oxygen molecules Remi was breathing in half. Remi's quickness again got the better of the Paladin as she took a swipe at him, only to come up empty. Karyu attempted to throw his fist, but again missed the agile vixen. Even so, he still wouldn't even let her graze the armor on his back with the dagger. He rolled and spun away, still forcing his blade upon Remi in vain. It looked like a sparring match that could've been marketed as an art show.

Krystal watched as the two Cerinians fought, unsure as to what she needed to do. She caught glance of the staff Karyu imbedded in the concrete. The glow from the crystal adorning its head mirrored the glow emanating from the eyes of Fox, Falco, and everyone surrounding them. That staff seemed to be the thing keeping them immobile, not Karyu himself. With that in mind, Krystal snuck over to the staff and attempted to move it while Karyu was preoccupied with Remi. Not only was it twice the length of her staff, but it was heavy and dense, apparent by the lack of movement it had when she tried to uproot it. She assumed a better two-handed grip and heaved upward, but the staff didn't even acknowledge the vixen's presence.

Karyu kicked Remi away again, then rushed over to Krystal. "Step away," growled the Cerinian, cleaving his sword downward. Krystal reacted in time, rolling out of the way and showing off her own staff. She fought back in the only way she knew how; wielding her staff as a blunt weapon. The hilt and head alternated with a spiraling swing, catching Karyu in the arms as he blocked. He swung with his sword, to which Krystal parried away, then caught him under the arm with a stiff shot. His arm went numb from the force, but he refused to drop his sword. Growling, Karyu slipped away from Krystal's range, only to run into Remi.

Remi slashed at his arm, cutting a gash and trimming fur in its wake. He flinched, allowing Remi to follow through and deliver a spinning kick to his side. Krystal joined in, stiff-arming her staff to catch Karyu's legs. He fell on his back, letting Remi to pounce on him and try to force the dagger into his face. Karyu was much too strong to let that happen, although Krystal's incessant whacks was making it increasingly difficult.

Karyu shifted Remi's weight and powered her away, rolling her into Krystal to buy enough time to spring back up to his feet. Another great swing cut the air between Remi and Krystal, while both jumped to their feet and countered with mirrored side thrust kicks to both of his thighs, chopping him down to his knees. Again, they fired mirrored kicks straight into the Paladin's face with a resounding _smack_. Karyu spat out blood and stared daggers at the girls, seemingly barely phased by the attack. They attempted the same dual kicks, but he caught them both, opting to shove Krystal away and hold onto Remi. She kicked his hand with her free leg, following through the kick by flipping out of his hold and landing on her feet. Remi, knowing that he wouldn't be dissuaded by showy agility, worked on the Paladin more by throwing wild dagger swipes his direction while he did his best to deflect them. She had to admit that he was very good; taking him down won't be the easiest thing she's ever done.

Krystal sprung back to her feet and swung her staff again, landing it on Karyu's side, but he caught it in the fold of his arm when she tried to bring it back. "Enough of this," he snapped, dragging both her staff and Krystal and disposing them towards Remi. The two vixens ended up in a heap after they collided. Karyu slid over to his staff, uprooted it with ease, and pointed the glowing end at the girls. They quickly separated just as a burst of flame nearly consumed them. Karyu went after Remi first, pouring a steady stream of fire towards her in hopes of setting her ablaze.

Krystal chopped at the back of his leg with her staff, making him falter and send a shower of fire into the sky. She was forced to run away instead of following up, since the fire came right back down. Karyu managed to put up his plated forearms, deflecting the flames with ease. That slight distraction let Remi attack; giving Karyu another deep gash on his back. He snarled, kicking her away and assuming another firing stance. Remi was in no condition to evade this time, so she was lucky that Krystal hit the back of his leg again before he had a chance to incinerate her. Annoyed, Karyu trained his staff at Krystal, unleashing another barrage of fire. Remi slashed at his arm and made him miss. Karyu forced Remi away, but Krystal was right back attacking him with her staff. No matter how he cut it, he was still outnumbered.

Baring teeth, Karyu stabbed the concrete again. A wave of light radiated from the weapon, throwing both Krystal and Remi away. As she flew backwards, Remi launched the dagger at the Cerinian, who just narrowly avoided the blade. Yet, the blade continued and glanced off the Paladin's staff. A noise only comparable to a desynced guitar amplifier resonated from the staff, killing the burst of light and making Karyu duck and cover his ears.

A few people surrounding the battlefield suddenly dropped and regained consciousness. Noting this, Karyu quickly returned to his staff and stabilized it, forcing those handful of people back into their unwanted trance. The glow seemed a little weaker, but Karyu attended to it accordingly. Remi scrambled to her feet.

"Krystal! The staff!" Remi shouted. "It's controlling the people! We need to destroy it."

The Paladin laughed aloud. "I yearn to see your attempt, Remilia," he sneered, and turned his glance to Krystal afterward. "Who is this you recruited? You do not look familiar, my dear."

"Don't talk to her," snapped Remi.

"Remilia's visions are clouded with cancer, my child," Karyu stared at Krystal longingly. "She is unfit to aid our new dawn. The Architect seeks a young, promising Cerinian to rule the rebuilt universe, and since Remilia is corrupted… I sense great power in you, my dear. You can—"

Karyu was interrupted with a hard forearm blast to the back of the head. Remi then turned to try to uproot his staff, but like Krystal, she could not make it budge. Angered, Karyu swung his sword, to which Remi narrowly avoided. The follow-through saw Karyu impact his staff, sending another blast of white noise over the plaza. Another group of people fell from their trance. The Paladin rectified that problem like before, but Krystal quickly added to his troubles.

Krystal swung, but Karyu knocked her down. Remi scooped up her tossed blade and went to attack again, jumping on the back of the Paladin and forcing the blade towards his neck. Karyu was just too strong to fight against, and Remi ended up losing her grip enough to have Karyu pull her over his shoulder by her hair, slamming her atop Krystal. He uprooted and gripped his staff with his free hand, forcing enough out of the staff to launch another streak of fire at the girls. Remi kicked off Krystal, pushing them both out of the way of certain death.

Karyu bolted towards Remi as she was getting to her feet, decking her with all his body weight to send her hurtling across the plaza. His attention then turned to Krystal. He stepped over to her dazed frame and stepped on her tail, eliciting a yowl from the vixen and preventing her from standing. He merely chuckled at her pain.

"How dare you mindlessly follow youthful ignorance," he grunted. "I ought to slit your throat right now to save you the trouble of being led into the dark by such a corrupted mind. You will only know pain and suffering if you continue to follow her."

His eyes glowed a deep violet, and her thrashing movements suddenly stopped. She could only whimper as the Paladin stood overtop her and grabbed her neck, preventing air from entering her mouth. She gasped and choked, but Karyu wouldn't budge.

"I will warn you once and once only. Desert Remilia and join us in our new dawn. Grant the Architect's wish of a powerful leader."

"Screw off," spat Krystal.

"Unfortunate," Karyu sighed, tightening his grip on Krystal's throat. He raised his sword in hopes to literally cut Krystal's life short, but a dagger raked across his wrist and made him drop the blade. Krystal took her opportunity and pushed Karyu away, then scooped up her staff. One powerful swing crashed upon the side of the Paladin's face, immediately drawing blood and stunning him. The Paladin staggered backwards, to which Remi jumped on his back and slung her arm around his throat, putting him into a chokehold.

Remi's dagger rocketed towards Karyu's face, but the blade stopped before it got close. Try as she may, but she couldn't force the blade into his eye. Karyu snarled with bright glowing eyes, using his other arm to rip Remi away and throw her into Krystal yet again. Though, he didn't pounce on his prey. Instead, he backed away and tended to his wounds, which were in the process of dying his luxurious navy blue pelt a sickly shade of brown. His wrist shown a deep gash that dripped down his arm. A nasty cut raked across his muzzle, dripping crimson into his barred teeth. And that's not mentioning the numerous cuts across his body, some accompanied by crimson rivers flowing down his arms and back.

"I have mistaken you two," he growled through gritted teeth. "Your teamwork and perseverance are admirable. However, your stubbornness and inexperience will be your downfall. Allow me to show you what a true Cerinian can accomplish."

Karyu gripped his staff, and within moments, the ground underneath the two vixens became lighter. Rubble and stray papers began to rise with no indications of falling back down. Remi stood up and rushed at him, but couldn't get far before her feet weren't taking her anywhere. She swiped and clawed at the Paladin with her dagger, but she couldn't hit him. She couldn't move close enough. The sky was pulling her away.

"No!" Krystal yelped. Before she fell victim to the gravity anomaly, she threw herself at Remi to push her forward. That added momentum allowed Remi to slam into Karyu, disrupting his focus. At that, the anomaly stopped, and the two vixens fell back onto solid ground. Remi was quick to pounce, slicing another gash into the Paladin's arm. Irate, Karyu started to swing wildly, but with every missed broadsword swing, Remi delivered another swipe to the Cerinian. Cuts and spilled blood covered the Paladin by the time his swings weakened, but he refused to quit. When Karyu appeared tired, she jumped and caught him with yet another stiff knee strike to the jaw that laid him flat.

Her opening allowed her to go towards Karyu's glowing staff. She couldn't dislodge it, but after what happened earlier, she could destroy it and it would have the desired effect. Holding the dagger tight, she wound up as far as she could and sent the dagger hurtling towards the jewel atop the staff. Yet, same as when she tried to jam the dagger into Karyu's face, she stopped. She couldn't deliver the killing blow. Karyu's powers wouldn't let her. Since he had her suspended, the Paladin jumped to his feet and slammed into Remi, ripping the dagger from her grasp and sending her spiraling away.

As if her second wind hit, she jumped to her feet and charged the bigger canine. Without warning, she swiped the staff from Krystal's hands and jumped off of it like she was competing for Olympic gold in vaulting. In that same motion, she brought the staff down and would have clobbered Karyu like she did earlier with the guitar had he not narrowly avoided. In the split-second she was awarded after hitting the cement, the staff twirled around and caught Karyu in the back of the head. Again, she swung and chopped his leg out, making him fall to his knees. She hopped onto the dazed Paladin's shoulder and spun off him, then blasted the back of his head with yet another well-placed staff swing. Krystal could only watch in pure awe as Remi felled Karyu with her staff, much better than she could ever attempt to do.

Remi jumped over Karyu's prone body again and went for the glowing jewel. Karyu refused to let her get the better of him, managing to grab her tail and pull her away. Yet, when he tried to follow it up, Remi kicked him in the chin and went for the staff again. This time he pulled on her hair and yanked her to the ground. A balled fist came crashing down towards her face, but she rolled out before it could connect. Another kick landed upon Karyu's muzzle. The younger vixen was stunned; why wouldn't he stay down?!

Snarling, the Cerinian leapt to his feet and lunged at Remi, only for Krystal to dive and push the vixen out of the way. Karyu only connected with his staff, blasting his snout against the bronze. The desynced loudspeaker sound returned, disorienting Karyu even more. Immediately after, Krystal scrambled to her feet and threw a wild kick into the back of Karyu's neck, bouncing his head against his staff yet again. This time, the staff expelled a wave of power that made Karyu tumble backwards. Another golden opportunity presented itself for Remi. Scoping up Krystal's staff, she dashed over to Karyu's and primed for a killing blow.

"Stop!" Karyu barked, using one last desperation attempt to hinder Remi. Just as she was about to obliterate the Paladin's staff, her feet lifted off the ground. Her downward strike got nothing but air as she began to float up yet again. Karyu's eyes glared back at her with the intensity of solar flares, clearly using every last little bit he had to pick her off the ground. Her muscles soon became stiff, unable to move even the slightest bit. As she was locking up, Krystal's staff slipped from her hands and fell to the ground near the base of Karyu's staff. Still, the Paladin held her tight; intending to send her into the sky, or let her fall to her doom once she got high enough.

A split-second glance back to his staff let Karyu see Krystal scooping up her staff yet again. The glow in his eyes vanished as Krystal wound up. It was too late for him to react this time.

The blunt swing shattered the crystal adorning the head of the Paladin's staff, discharging a dense wave of power that jolted the entire city square and pushed everyone away from the epicenter by a few feet or more. Within seconds of the blinding flash dissipating, rain began to fall again. The wind returned and breathed new life between the skyscrapers. The hundreds gathered and hung by their hearts simultaneously dropped, slowly regaining consciousness one by one.

Despite her distance from the ground, Remi landed on her feet, using her arms to steady herself on the cracked cement. She lurched forward, scooping up the discarded dagger in her wake, then pounced upon where the discharge spat Karyu out. Bared canines and glowing eyes met with the blade as it delivered a killing downward spike through air itself and… right through the concrete.

Eyes and ears twitching violently as if she was going through drug withdrawals, she combed over the immediate area with an icepick grip, slicing raindrops in half and severing molecular compounds where she saw fit. After a rage induced handful of seconds, she finally steadied herself to gaze upon the righted world.

Karyu was nowhere to be found. Even what was left of his staff had disappeared.

Every muscle in the Cerinian's body twitched and shuddered as if she was standing in the middle of a snowstorm. Rage personified as foam pooled at her bared teeth. She clenched at the hilt of the dagger with such force that it began to bend the alloy, leaving a perfect grip for her to hold the blade should she need to again. _Where the heck was he?_

Krystal scrambled to her feet and ran over to her fallen teammates. She stopped at Falco, crouching down to help the bird sit up. Everyone else began to look around and get their bearings, rubbing at their heads to relieve the ensuing headache. Fox was no exception to that rule.

"Eugh," he groaned, trying to push a finger through his skull to massage his pounding brain. "That was awful."

"Are you okay?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah, I think I'm…" Fox trailed off when he realized Krystal wasn't paying attention to him, but his avian counterpart. "…fine," he finished with a more distasteful inflection. "Is everyone else okay?"

"What was that?" Falco questioned. "One moment I see that Paladin, then next I'm out cold."

"He had you guys under mind control I think," Krystal explained, gently helping Falco to his feet. "It's fine though; Remi and I fought—"

 **"OOH I'M MAD."**

Krystal and company flinched when the angry yell belted across the plaza. The next moment saw Fox duck underneath a dagger soaring aimlessly overhead. He swore that Remi's steps could crack the concrete even more as she stepped closer to him. Instinctively, he hid behind a groggy Fara that hadn't stood up yet.

The muscles on the back of Remi's paws were stiff, making her fingers appear as though they wanted to claw into living flesh. She blew a long breath of air into Fara's face, disrupting some of her fur. "I. Will. Literally. _MURDERTHENEXTPERSONTHATLOOKSATME_!"

Still sort of dazed, Fara blinked and answered, "Can I suggest not doing it around me?" while clearly still in a bit of pain from her headache.

Remi's teeth clenched to the point of nearly cracking. " **OH** ," she growled with guttural intensity, resembling a singer from a metal band rather than herself. "I'll make sure to keep the blood off your outfit, _princess_."

Her unstable, inhaling growls made everyone fear for their lives, so out of concern for their own wellbeing, they let the Cerinian rant and cool herself down.

"I… Cannot… Believe… THATLIVINGTUMORGOTAWAY!" she barked, her fur bristling and standing on end. Her voice then transitioned to a hoarse whisper spoken at breakneck speed. "I had him dead to rights! I had his _neck_! I was so close to covering his blade in his own blood; but he ESCAPED!"

Another long blow of air exited her mouth. "Calm. Down. Remi," she said through her teeth, an uneasy tone in her voice as if she was trying to stay sane. If Fox didn't know better, everything about Remi currently would conclude that she was completely psychotic. "The agency doesn't want to pay out _another_ lawsuit you caused, so think of happy things. Happy things."

Her head craned over to Fox with a Cheshire grin and unsettling dinnerplate eyes that could see through steel. "Happy thoughts, Fox. I'm happy. I couldn't be any more elated. Can't you see? I'm right as—" she blinked, and her eyes abruptly shined bright. " _DONTEVERTALKTOME!_ "

Fox screamed, bolting off without Fara; the latter of which fell back down after her support ran away. He disappeared into the café they had eaten in a while back. Fara slowly sat back up after rubbing her head.

"My hero," she murmured.

"Remi," Krystal started, approaching her with caution. As soon as the younger vixen caught her teal eyes, her meltdown subsided. Remi had to blink a few times before her glowing eyes returned to normal, and after looking around and seeing how many were looking at her, her ears folded flat.

"…Sorry," she whimpered. "We… we almost had him, but then he got away, and now I'm just mad."

"It's fine," Krystal tried to assure her.

"It's not," Remi argued. "It's anything _but_ fine. That boneheaded trash bag needed to be put in his place for what he did to me. Anything less than that is _not okay_."

Krystal gently pushed down on Remi's shoulder, urging her to sit. "Relax for a second."

"Ow," she winced. "Adrenaline… wearing off. Ow, okay, ow."

"Calm down," the older vixen insisted with her trademarked motherly voice. "Just relax a moment."

Both Remi and Krystal sat down on the concrete as rain continued to fall on them. Neither really cared about the rain. In all honesty, the cool rainwater helped alleviate some of the pain in the vixens' minor wounds. For a while the two just sat under the cover of rainfall and caught their breath, while everyone gathered around them began to disperse.

"You fought well," Remi whispered into her folded legs.

"Me?" asked Krystal.

"Yes," she cracked a grin, but didn't look up. "The Cerinian's fighting blood has not been lost in you. He had us bested, but fighting as well as we did for as long as we did… was impressive."

"You used my staff better than I did," Krystal admitted. "How?"

Remi laughed weakly. "Now isn't the time to tell you. You'll learn soon enough."

After a while, Fox came out of hiding and gingerly stepped towards the two vixens with an umbrella. He stood close enough to shield the two vixens from soaking themselves even further (which didn't really matter at this point). Krystal looked up at him while Remi still didn't move.

"I think we're done here," he said with a small frown. "Let's go get you girls cleaned up."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

The two Cerinians took control of one of their hotel room's bathrooms to tend to their wounds better. There wasn't much damage between the two, thankfully. The worst was a feared elbow sprain from Remi, which she bound the entire appendage in compression tape and held a bag of ice to it just out of precaution. Krystal just had a few bruises and sore spots she attended to accordingly.

"Karyu…" Krystal started softly, apparently still trying to comprehend what happened. "You knew him?"

"I wish I didn't," Remi sat on the edge of the bathtub. "When Cerinia was being destroyed, people we being round up and slaughtered. He captured me but… he didn't kill me… I wish he did so that I didn't have to witness the horrible things he did."

"Did he wipe your memory?"

"He tried to," Remi's voice faltered. "He got most of it, but… I… I can't give you many answers because I just don't know much anymore."

"I understand," Krystal said softly.

"I don't know why he did what he did, or why he didn't kill me… But after what he did to me, I wanted to kill him. That's why I was so mad; I wanted him dead, but he got away."

"What did he do?"

"The one thing you **_never_** do to _anyone_ , especially a thirteen-year-old girl," she bared her teeth at the ground, wincing at the fragmented memory.

Krystal sharply exhaled and covered her mouth.

"He ruined my life, Krystal," Remi continued. "He should've just killed me so that I didn't have to live with that suffering. What he did _ruined_ me, and the one thing—the **_one_** thing—I want to do… is make sure he knows that pain. As much as you may disagree with me on this… in my opinion, some people just need to die for the world to be a better place."

Krystal's motherly aura personified itself in her voice. "I want to help. Do you want to talk about it? Maybe another meditation session?"

"I'm far too angry for that," Remi admitted. "But maybe later, okay?"

"Okay."

Remi cracked a small grin. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Krystal grinned back.

Someone knocked on the door twice. "May I come in?"

It was Fox's voice. Not really the voice either girl wanted to hear, but his voice showed genuine signs of concern. Remi answered, "Sure; we're almost done."

Fox poked his head inside. "You girls okay?"

"We're fine," Remi replied. "I've had worse pain after a night with the bartender at HQ. I'll be okay."

Fox narrowed his eyes. "But you're not even old en—"

"I need to make something straight with you," the younger vixen interrupted, pushing the door (and therefore Fox) so she could get back into the main room. "You do know what that Cerinian did to you could've been avoided, right?" she hopped onto the bed and sprawled out. "Krystal and I weren't caught up in that mind-control link for a reason, you know?"

"And…?"

"And if you would stop being such a puritan, it could have been three-on-one and we could've done more to that trash bag with ears than just drive him out."

Fox shook his head. "Ugh, this again," he groaned with rolled eyes. "Remi, seriously; you're not going to change my mind. At this point I don't care if sleeping with you would grant me eternal life; I don't want it."

"Then you might as well be next to useless," Remi scoffed.

Fox laughed at the perceived absurdity of that statement. "Me?"

"Yes, you," echoed Remi. "Absolutely useless."

Fox scoffed in a very ' _Fara-esque_ ' gesture. "Useless. Okay. Do you even know what you're—"

"Do you need to go back and reread that fight?" Remi abruptly sat up. "You were completely useless. As a matter of fact, why were you even out there? You were siding with Fara in trying to get us out of there when he was literally _kissing you_. You stopped me from capitalizing on him after I brained him with that guitar, and you didn't help a single bit when Krystal and I fought him off. In fact, I'd say that you were _worse_ than useless!"

The sudden realization dawned on Fox. "Oh gods, I _kissed_ that guy," he muttered, forcefully wiping a paw over his muzzle.

"Don't pretend you didn't like it," teased Remi, but went right back to say, "You were useless and you know it. If you don't want to be useless for the rest of this story, I'd suggest swallowing your ego, quit being such a holier-than-thou puritan, and put little Foxy where it belongs."

Fox reflexively gagged. "That statement coming out of your mouth made me feel sick."

Remi rolled her eyes. "I'm doing this to help you. Do you really think that I just sleep with everyone I can see?"

"You haven't given me enough to disprove it," suggested Fox.

"Need I remind you that I can't lie?"

"I still think that's a cop-out."

"Do you want to find out yourself or do you just want to accuse me?"

Fox just groaned. "Listen—"

"No, _you_ listen, Fox," Remi's eyes began to glow. "If you think you're being faithful to your girlfriends or following your parent's teachings, stop. Your reluctance to see the greater good will get you killed. I will spell this out for you: I don't want to see you get killed because you're too stupid to say yes to me."

"And now you're gonna guilt me into this?"

Remi slapped her forehead. "I'm getting more food," she groaned, rolling off the bed and exiting the room. "Krystal, _please_ talk to him," she begged before shutting the door in her wake.

Before Krystal had the time to open her mouth, Fox began, "I don't suppose you're siding with her, are you?"

"I trust her."

"Of course you do."

"Fox, we've already had this discussion."

"And I told you she was on a thin line with me."

"What has she done to cross it?"

"Have you not heard all of her incessant, annoying taunts and comments about trying to get in my pants?"

"As far as I know, everything she's said is justified."

"Justified?! She's in no way proven that!"

"What more do you want her to say? She's given you every little bit of support for why, and as far as I'm concerned, every little bit of bad you think there is is totally irrelevant."

"And you're not going to take a single word she said into consideration?"

"She's got nothing to gain from lying to us."

"Except my dignity and my moral compass."

Krystal laughed sarcastically. "The irony that those words came out of your mouth."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh my goodness," Krystal was starting to become frustrated. "Fox, Fara _herself_ is against your _so-called_ moral compass."

"Why are you bringing her into this? She hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Yes, she has; but just because you two are friends doesn't excuse her behavior. She's done everything you've accused Remi of doing, but you haven't called her out _once_."

"You're assassinating her character. You just haven't met someone like her before."

"That's a good thing, because I can say that she's driving a wedge into this team while you're blind to it."

"You're just jealous of her."

That word instantly made Krystal sick to her stomach. "You're acting every little bit like her, Fox," the vixen began to sound desperate to get through to him. "Please, just open your eyes for a second. She's toxic to everyone but you just because she's playing up to you."

"Never, in my ten years of knowing her, has she ever played up to me."

"Because she's manipulating you!"

"Now that is just the biggest lie I've ever heard."

"Just because she's your friend doesn't excuse her. She's done a lot of scummy things to us already."

"And like you haven't?"

Krystal paused, reacting to the hammer that just caved her chest in. She hated getting mad, but what he just said made her totally irate. How could he ever say anything like that? Then she made the connection that those words came from her best friend, and that alone made her heart shatter. She almost let a tear slip away after that remark, but fought it back to take the high ground. If that was the way he thought, fine. But she'll be dammed if he gets the better out of this exchange.

"You know what?" Krystal stopped bickering with him and just breathed. She let any bit of ire and disappointment leave her nose with every passing breath, until her voice was soft and angelic. "Fine. You be you. If you want to do things your way, that's fine… Just leave me out of it then."

With that, she turned around and left Fox alone. The adrenaline simmering from the debate ultimately hit Fox right in the face. Did he really just say that? That was probably the worst things he's ever said to anyone, and the fact that it was Krystal that he said it to… that was nasty. Knowing he really couldn't do much but backtrack on his words and give Krystal more ammunition against him made him feel powerless. Not like he didn't deserve it; obviously he felt he needed to own up to everything to get back on track. It was just an awful feeling and position he didn't want to push on anyone, let alone himself.

Fox kicked the door in frustration. He would have kicked it again had his phone not chirped at him. Peppy was calling. As much as he didn't want to answer the phone given his mental state, he really did need to tell Peppy about what he and his team did downtown. He answered with evident reluctance.

"Hey Peppy," Fox started.

"Fox! It's Peppy!"

Fox looked around the room with a subtle frown. "Yes… hi, Peppy."

"Oh gosh darn it I'm on speaker again."

Fox bit his tongue to keep from giggling. One would think that, being the expert pilot he was, Peppy would be able to handle something as trivial as a cell phone. Alas, this was not the case.

"Okay; evening Fox! How goes the assignment?"

"Uh…" Fox stumbled with his answer. "It's kinda complicated."

"You don't seem too happy there, kiddo," Peppy's voice became concerned. "What happened?"

"Well, we found the Paladin that was in the area, but he got away."

"What do you mean he got away?" asked Peppy, a little skeptical and confused.

"Remi and Krystal fought him off, but he vanished after they destroyed his staff," explained Fox. Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, taking the team's previous encounters at face-value would make even the most brilliant minds scratch their heads. It was no wonder Peppy was slow to connect the dots.

"So you let the two girls fight him?" Peppy inquired.

"Not by my intention," replied Fox. "That Paladin had us all under mind control, except for Remi and Krystal. As much as I wanted to fight, I couldn't."

"But you scared him off?"

"Remi says that she can't sense him in the city, so my guess is he vanished back to their base."

"Nobody got hurt?"

"A handful of headaches, but nothing bad."

Peppy hummed to himself. "Fox, I… I don't know what else to tell ya…"

"Tell me about it," the vulpine sighed. "This mission made me feel like my team and I were incompetent. We didn't know what to do, where we needed to go, what we needed to do once we found the guy—if we even found him—and…" For merely trailed off. Peppy cleared his throat when he realized Fox wasn't going to speak further.

"I understand your concerns, Fox, but the truth is that Pepper and I expect results," the hare's tone solidified itself authoritatively, much like a parent talking to a misbehaving child. "We sincerely appreciate the effort, but we didn't hire your team for name alone. Osprey needs your guidance and support, but if the CDF is going to write paychecks to a glorified cheerleader, then we'll have no choice but to take Krystal and have her and Osprey do this mission alone, which _you_ _know_ they can't do on their own."

Fox slapped the side of his leg. "Peppy, there's not much I can do to change this," he argued. "The Cerinians are stronger than you or Pepper think they are. And frankly, what our job was here was ill-informed and grossly misjudged. That kind of intel going into this important of a job is unacceptable."

"You know good and well that we couldn't change that," Peppy's tone remained unchanged. "And I didn't raise a leader that blames other people for his failures, no matter how small or how grandiose. Of course we didn't give you much information, for one: because we didn't have much to _give_ , and for two: we're paying you and your team a _lot_ of money to take charge in this operation; to take matters into your own hands instead of relying on us for objectives. We know you and your team are capable of doing so. Hell, Fox, I was a _part_ of that team."

"That lack of information could have gotten a lot of innocent people killed today, Peppy," Fox fired back. "If you didn't have the info, then you shouldn't have bothered sending us to antagonize."

"And _that_ would have gotten people killed too," replied the hare. "Playing the waiting game would have killed just as many people as if you would have failed this mission."

Fox didn't answer.

"Listen to me," Peppy started slow and strong. "I want you to take control of your unit. Gone are the days where you can rely on me digging everyone out of a hole. As dire of circumstances these are, you need to take that next step into being a leader, for everyone's wellbeing."

"Peppy, not knowing what to do won't help either of us," interrupted Fox.

"You have a team," Peppy began. "You have Osprey and Krystal. You've got the entire CDF library of data and people at your disposal. Truth be told, you rank higher than me at this point. I don't want you sitting around complaining you don't know what to do, because I know that you can look at something and see what needs to be done, no matter the mission at hand. You need to take charge, Fox. You're the leader of the best mercenary outfit in the galaxy. Maybe one or two things must change before you realize that."

"What do you mean?"

"Adapt yourself. Change the way you look at things. Think for yourself. Learn something new. Fox, it really doesn't matter what you do, so long as it helps you in your situation. If the Cerinians have something you don't, then find something that they don't have or won't expect from you. You're so much better than any of them, but you've gotta make something change if you want to prove it to everyone."

Fox finished up his call and stood in silence for a while. If there was one thing he hated, it was being wrong about something. He'd admit defeat if/when he was wrong, but it didn't make the feeling any more desirable. In just a few short minutes, he had been proven wrong three different times from three different people that he held three different feelings towards. What ensued was probably the oddest sense of failure he's ever experienced. Failing as a leader and as a friend. Plain and simple, it sucked.

Slowly pacing back and forth between the window and the door, Fox tried to articulate the swarm of emotions and feelings swirling about his head. He was no stranger to combating these feelings before, just not on this sort of scale, nor all at once. He miraculously stayed calm throughout the introspective contemplation, but at what cost? Were they just suppressed or actually resolved? Most likely the former, but knowing that didn't dissuade him from attempting a new perspective… a new way to see himself and the trash he had accumulated just over the past couple of days. After all, Peppy did say to try something new, but was this the scale he was referring to? Did there need to be more of a change?

 _Adapt_ … that word kept swirling around in Fox's thoughts, resurfacing to the foreground every so often. That word didn't mean much to him on a normal day, as that usually meant that a mission required an unorthodox way of working to ensure it succeeded. This most certainly wasn't that rendition of the word in his head now. Er, maybe it was? Just not about tactics or objectives or whatever the case was during an assignment. The mission itself didn't need the change, it was Fox that did. Was it? He couldn't really decipher that…

Then again, Fox had been wrong three times in a row... Maybe something did need to change about him? The pacing never stopped as he tried to break the problem down. That was an important skill, so that didn't need to be changed. His attitude, probably. That was what got him into hot water with most of his team thus far. But if that changed, it may cause a domino effect with everything else about him; the leadership attributes, critical thinking… Gah, it was like he was making a spreadsheet in his mind and checking off boxes as he went down the columns. It felt so tedious and ridiculous, but knowing that it needed to be done gave him the drive to actually think about himself for more than a few minutes every so often.

He stopped. Adapt. It hit him. Oh, what a humiliating feeling, but a relief nonetheless. Well, relief could be an exaggeration knowing what he had to literally get himself into. His normal definition of _adapt_ was an unorthodox way of tackling a mission, so in this light… _adapt_ meant an unorthodox way of changing himself for the better. As much as he felt sick just thinking about it, there really was only one good option for him to use.

Tail tucked between his legs, he began the long trek from their hotel room down to the hotel lobby. He refrained from making an entrance, as most of his team seemed to be enjoying themselves. Still, he trudged forward and crept up to one of the tables.

"Remi?"

The Cerinian spun around to face him. "Oh, there you are! Fay and Miyu are gonna leave soon; they want to say goodbye."

Fox looked over at the duo, but held up a finger. "Can I get one second?" They both nodded. Upon confirmation, he looked back down at Remi. "Can I talk to you for just a moment?"

"Sure," Remi replied with hesitance. Fox gestured her to follow, so she obliged much to her own confusion. She followed Fox into the hallway away from everyone else, taking note of his obvious hesitance and twitchy tail. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not really," Fox answered unconvincingly, peering around the corner of the hallway to see if anyone was watching, which they weren't. "It's just… Peppy told me that I need to be better suited for this mission."

Remi cocked her head. "That's… an odd thing for him to say."

"Well, he's right," Fox quickly added. "There are a few things that I do really need to change… and I hate to say it, but… I think I know what would help…"

It only took a handful of seconds before Remi smirked. "Go on…"

Along with blushing wildly and unable to sit still, Fox couldn't look Remi in the glowing eyes as he swallowed his pride and said:

"I think it's time I take you up on your offer."


	8. 1 — Guilty All The Same

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 1 []**

 ** _The Hunting Party  
_** _ **ʳᵉᵈᵘˣ**_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 8**

 _Guilty All The Same_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: Some may be disappointed, but I kept the rating at T, and probably will for the rest of the story. I may stretch it at times, but I'll give warnings where appropriate. Like now. :)**_

 _ **I did something a little different with this chapter, which might explain why the word count for this update is a bit inflated. I'd appreciate if you guys could tell me whether you like the new writing style or not; whether it's too rambly, not concise, not relevant, all that stuff. I plan on writing more of these "thought dumps" in later chapters to get a better understanding of the characters and all that, but if you guys get bored of it or think it's subtracting from the story, I can tone them down in later updates. Like I said, it's something new and I want to gauge how you guys react to it. Let me know if you want, I'll be happy to answer questions and concerns if you provide them.**_

 _ **This aside, hope you guys enjoy. This will wrap up this arc, but things are just starting to kick off. :)**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 _ ** **Ξ****_

* * *

Fox felt a little bad about saying his goodbyes to Miyu and Fay, simply because he thought they deserved more than just being relegated to background characters for the Naval Bay operation. There wasn't much he could do to change it, unfortunately, so a lackluster _goodbye_ and _thank_ - _you_ were his parting words to the duo. Not happy with that ending, Fox felt compelled to extend an open invitation should his mercenary outfit need some extra valuable firepower in the future, to which the duo replied with a possibly foreshadowing, "We'll see."

The entire time the vulpine spent packing up his belongings and making sure his team had theirs, he felt an odd feeling of anxiety. He was no stranger to this feeling in its ordinary light, but it was circumstantially different this time for obvious reasons. Not only did he have to juggle Fara's antics along with Krystal's developing malcontent, he now had to make it a true juggling act by dealing with Remi next. That was something he was not looking forward to on one hand, but the other couldn't wait for it to happen. He labeled that other hand "sick and unhelpful."

He couldn't shake all the negatives from his mind as he lugged his belongings down to the hotel lobby. She was too young, too eager to really understand. Then again, she seemed fully aware of the consequences, but either didn't care or thought better of it. Everything she said about it seemed so selfish, so sure-of-herself but horribly misinformed. Did she really know what she was agreeing on? There was a sort of dissonance plaguing Fox's mind; he knew she was right but wanted to discredit her as to preserve his moral compass. The moral compass he knew he had.

Treading rough mental waters, Fox absentmindedly loaded his and his team's gear into their truck in anticipation to go back home for the time being. Peppy hadn't provided further details, so in upholding the hare's promise of "waiting for the point in the right direction," the team decided to get some more rest before their next assignment. It was odd, knowing that such an urgent objective loomed over his head but all he could do about it was watch and wait. Describing Fox as "antsy," would be a mild understatement, coupled with his anxiety and other stresses for obvious reasons. All he wanted was to destress with a beautiful vixen with a night of relaxation. To his dismay, it appeared as though Remi would be granting his wish.

"Fox?"

Startled, Fox bolted up, only to catch the back of his head on the cargo door of the truck. Holding the back of his head, he gingerly turned around meet up with Remi. His cheeks burned red almost instantly at the sight of her, not just because of what he just did.

"Sorry," she giggled. "I just wanted to ask if we could stop by HQ when we get back? I left some stuff there that I want to bring back to your place."

"That's fine; I wanted to stop there anyway," Fox replied.

"Stop where?" asked a newly approaching Fara.

"HQ," Remi answered her. "I'm staying with Fox, but I left some of my stuff there."

"I'm sorry," Fara blinked. "You're staying with Fox?"

"Why don't you help Slippy load his gear?" Fox urged Remi away. He then took Fara's paws and led hear away from the truck. "Listen, I have a favor I need to ask."

"Sure?" her voice became skeptical. "What is it?"

"Well, Remi offered to…" he hated that his mind wanted to trail off, but he forced some words one after the other to not look completely awkward. "Offered a meditation session for me. I still have a bad headache from that Paladin, and she said she could help and maybe keep it from happening again."

Fara's eyes narrowed. "That's awfully nice of her. Almost too nice if you ask me. Is she planning something?"

"Why would she want to plan something?" Fox tried laughing to ease the tension. "She's been really helpful ever since she joined up with us."

"That's not the impression I got from you," Fara folded her arms across her chest. "You seem quick to chastise her."

"Hey, after what she did to save us from that Paladin, I can trust her now," Fox nodded his head. "And I think you should too."

"I don't know…" the fennec sounded skeptic still. "She's too much of a loose cannon, even for me."

"Aw, please?" Fox put on a wide smile. "Just trust her? Trust me?"

Fara let out a little giggle. "Okay, fine. But what about me?"

"Oh, uh," Fox scrambled to think of something. "For those kinds of things, Remi doesn't like having more than one person in the room."

Fara shrugged. "I can wait out in the—"

"I mean," interrupted Fox. "Like, the whole house. She told me herself, her telepathy doesn't work well as is, and she doesn't want any distractions."

Her skeptic glasses came back on. "Are you sure? That seems awfully strange."

"She's told me a thousand times that she can't lie," exaggerated Fox. "I'd be scared to find out if she did."

"She's not convincing me," deadpanned Fara. "And the way she looks at you all the time makes me think that this is just a ruse."

"Oh come on," Fox chuckled nervously. "Even if she was, do you really think I'd _let_ _her_ if she was planning something?"

Fara pursed her lips. "I suppose not."

"Seriously, trust me," he brought her closer. "Just one day? I promise we'll catch up in private another day."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart."

Fara smirked. "Okay, Foxy, you've got yourself a deal. I wanted to run a few errands anyway, so I guess this is as good of an excuse as any other."

"You're the best," he grinned, pulling her in for a quick kiss while simultaneously relieved that it was _actually_ her that he was kissing. "I'll miss you."

"I know," she purred back.

"Do you still need a flight back to Corneria City?"

"Please?"

"I'm sure I can fit you in somewhere."

Fara purred to herself. "I'm taking that out of context," she murmured into his ear as she walked off. Suppressing the hearts in his eyes and the spastic motions of his tail, Fox returned to the truck where Remi was waiting.

"So I got Fara out of the house," Fox relayed to her. "Though I'm not happy with lying to her face like that."

"And I'm sure all of those worries will melt away tonight," she cooed.

"Can…" Fox's head tilted as his voice dropped. "Can you be a little more subtle? I know that's asking a lot from you, but I really don't want the guys to catch on."

"You're not gonna be able to hide it forever, you know?"

"It'll be a lot easier explaining to the guys _after_ the fact than trying to explain it now."

"Fair enough."

"So, don't really talk about it," Fox insisted.

"Keep it under the table," she licked her chops. "That's hot. Okay, I'll tone it down."

"You know you owe me big for this," he hissed under his breath.

"Anything I owe will be made up in here," she poked at her head.

"I still can't believe I'm letting you do this," murmured Fox through his teeth.

"Me neither. But I'm glad you finally agreed. It'll give me peace of mind later."

"Sure," Fox rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I don't want you being useless next time we run into him," warned Remi, then showcased a wide, innocent smile.

Fox simply sighed and returned to packing the vehicle. It wouldn't take long before a plane ride would take them all back home.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Early evening hours greeted Fox when he returned to his residence. The wide wall of glass overlooking the metro area separated him from the detonation of vibrant colors smeared across the sky. Lylat set on the other side of the bay, so the glorious colors were somewhat masked by towers cutting into the horizon. If it were sunrise, he could gaze out upon the bay and watch Lylat poke above the water and smother the sky in brilliance. Still, seeing colors that hadn't yet been named fascinated him; it was one of the few things that still did. Being out in space where those colors didn't exist made him yearn for another day where the magnificence could grace his eyes again. The feeling was one of the few that did not leave him no matter what. It was a feeling that compelled him to maybe settle down one of these days…

Fox jumped between preparing dinner for his two Cerinian guests and watching Lylat slowly sink below the horizon; the former of which was his priority. He felt bad about angering Krystal earlier in the day, so he decided to make it up to her. She loved fish, so on the way back home he picked up some fresh salmon and a few ingredients that he knew she would enjoy. It was something to maybe diffuse the tension brewing between them. He hated that it was brewing in the first place, so anything to nip it before it got out of control would be beneficial to both him, her, and the team in general.

In wandering out of the kitchen to watch the sunset, he'd make a glance up at Krystal's room to see the light from within slip underneath the closed door. It was odd seeing her so secluded, especially since he was cooking. In fact, she was quiet the entire way home. It was so unlike her. Understandably she still seemed upset, but this cemented it for Fox. She loved helping him cook. Obviously the tension was more than he first thought if it was going to interfere with what she enjoyed.

When dinner was almost finished, the light finally shut off and Krystal came back downstairs. She had fully packed a backpack in the time she was up there, which she set down to approach the vulpine. Perplexed, Fox cocked his head and asked, "Are you going somewhere?"

She returned a weak grin. "Well, I don't want to get in the way of tonight," she said with a shallow giggle.

Remi must have told her. Blushing, he tried to salvage the conversation by asking, "Can you at least stay for dinner?"

Krystal shook her head. "Falco is waiting for me in the lobby."

"Falco?"

"I asked if I could stay a night at his place and he said it was okay," replied the vixen, adopting a concerned look. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

The vulpine folded his ears back when he caught a tinge of sourness in her tone. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Why would I be mad?"

Fox looked down. "I'll admit I was being rude and snotty to you, and I said some things that I really shouldn't have said, especially to you."

"Fox, I'm not mad," Krystal answered in the most well-concealed lie she's ever told. "I wanna give you more time with Fara without me being a bother, since you two are back together and all. Plus, Falco's been really nice to me lately, and I realized that I've really never talked to him much. I think this helps us both."

Fox blinked. "Oh, you thought… Wait, but Fara's not—"

"Hey, you don't have to defend yourself," interrupted Krystal, trying to assure him with a grin. "You want to spend more time with her, and I can understand that." She put the backpack over her shoulders and stepped into the elevator. "You two enjoy dinner, okay?"

Fox could only nod hollowly as the doors shut. Fox turned his head to see Remi poke her head above the couch. Seemingly referencing his internal thoughts on the matter, the vixen curled one hand into a circle while she inched her other finger towards the gap in her hand. Fox rolled his eyes and walked away when Remi sold her gesture with a sly wink.

"You're not helping."

Remi whined softly. "I'm just calling what I see. You and Fara are a thing, and she's jealous of that, so she's gonna go hook up with your friend."

"I have my doubts," Fox deadpanned. "Falco's never kept a steady relationship in his life. I'd love to see him try."

"At Krystal's expense?"

Fox frowned.

"Mmm, my jealousy meter is off the charts," Remi hummed.

"I'm not jealous," Fox retorted. " _She's_ jealous of me. If she wants to lower her standards that much, then more power to her. Just you wait; she'll be crawling back to me in a week."

Remi narrowed her eyes but didn't probe further. She needed him calm and collected in order for everything to work out fine tonight. Still, it was awfully strange to see him act like this. He seemed far from the collected, sure-fire mercenary leader she became accustomed to before they met. He seemed troubled for obvious reasons. He sounded unsure, conflicted, and even stubborn; which is something she never thought she'd see from someone like him. She wanted nothing more than to call out what she saw right to his face, but in keeping with her previous thoughts, she stayed silent as Fox continued cooking.

Still, there was no doubting that he felt guilty on the inside. Maybe Krystal meant more to him than he cared to admit…

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Krystal met up with Falco in the lobby of the tower. Minced words aside, he showed her to his motorbike parked on the edge of the street. The stark cherry red finish was quite a removal from his mostly blue appearance, but it was such a beautiful red that she didn't really mind. Falco obviously cared about the bike, so he kept it nice and presentable as he should.

He removed the helmet from its rack on the handlebar and handed it to Krystal with a grin. "Couldn't find my spare, so use mine," he said. The vixen gingerly took the helmet and frowned at him.

"Shouldn't you need it?"

"I can tell _myself_ I won't ever crash, but it's better to be safe when I 'ave a passenger. You'll need it more than me, trust me."

"Okay. Thank you."

"No prob, _blueness_ ," he smirked, getting the same reaction out of the vixen. Krystal became fond of that nickname when she realized she could apply it to the avian whenever he'd use it on her. It was a mutual gag they both got a smile out of, despite how silly it was. She was actually surprised he still remembered it, let alone used it again.

As Falco slipped onto his seat, Krystal slipped up next to him, awkwardly pushing herself against him. "Should I hang on?"

"It'd be wise to."

She did as she was told, sliding her arms around his waist for a supportive hold.

"Where to, blueness?"

"I don't mind."

"Wanna stop for a bite to eat?"

"If you want to, sure."

Falco started the bike with an audible roar, but it soon calmed itself down as he slowly inched forward. "I won't go _too_ crazy," he assured, slipping into the downtown streets with relative ease. The downtown streets made it easy for motorbikes like his to get around without getting stuck in traffic, so it didn't take long at all—even at a pace the avian would call leisurely—for the duo of blue to escape the Corneira City metropolitan mess and set sail on interstate roads. As soon as they merged onto the interstate, Falco kicked it up a notch or two.

The feeling was exhilarating for the vixen. Being so close to death but having the time of her life at the same time. Unrestrained speed, the way the wind whipped at her clothes, the feeling of pure joy coupled with death-defying fear, all of which combined in a weird feeling that was something she felt conflicted on. She enjoyed it and had to admit she felt safe with Falco at the helm. It was an experience that she could definitely attribute to Falco's personality now that she knew what it felt like.

Falco was one of those guys that hated the rules, circumvented them when he could, and made the most out of breaking them for the greater good. Krystal thought of him as an arrogant, selfish _bad guy_ that did what he wanted for a thrill. In a way she's right, or at least she likes to think she is. When the fear of falling off subsided, she could only sit, watch, and appreciate the way the avian piloted his bike. The bike was his escape, she assumed. It was the only way to get that thrill, and she now knew firsthand how incredible it felt. She couldn't blame him for chasing it now that she knew.

The ride out took a while, and in that time Krystal bounced between her thoughts and her sensations. The energetic rise was unparalleled, yet Falco didn't seem to mind it. Obviously, right? There's no telling how long he's been riding motorbikes. Even so, her inherent bias towards the bike and the feeling the rider and passenger felt clashed. Falco was the _bad guy_ ; he always was. Fighting mission rules, bailing when the going got tough, arguing with simple instructions, and acting like the coolest guy in the entire goddamn system… Yet… riding on the back of his bike, feeling the wind whistling past, watching the traffic blur in her wake, experiencing the thrill it gave… maybe he wasn't who she thought he was.

She saw his soft side back at Naval Bay; sympathizing with her frustration and offering consolation, however small it may be. That in and of itself showed that—while he may try to mask it with a personality; an _ego_ if you will—he still cared about who he may consider his friends. That was a nice feeling; knowing she still had a friend. Adding to that, he defiantly held his ground despite his "superiors" giving different orders and sided with her and Remi when Fox and Fara wanted to leave. Was he everything Krystal attributed him to? Probably not; he showed that he was capable of breaking that trend more often than she'd care to admit, as it threw her initial disposition into the garbage. Was he this _bad boy_ persona Krystal dismissed him as? Probably not as much as she once thought, now that different colors were starting to show. He may have been an arrogant rulebreaker, but if any of it was as warranted as what occurred at Naval Bay, he could be justified for much of it. _Right?_

She had to think about herself for a moment. She didn't question much of her orders ever since joining Star Fox. She stayed obedient to her teachers and mentors, and that helped her get to where she is now. She's more than capable wielding a weapon or piloting an Arwing, sure. Yet, when bringing Falco's recent experiences into the frame… something changed… She never did question anything Fox told her, she just took it as gospel and followed it word for word. Now seeing where he was now that Fara let another side of him show… was it right to think that?

In regards to the fennec, Krystal felt more comfortable listening to Falco rather than Fox, especially when the latter either seemingly forgot about her or let Fara discard her. She hated to feel such a level of malice and disappointment towards someone she truly had her heart out for, but going from almost kissing one day to being forgotten a few days later will callous even the biggest of hearts. She had to admit she didn't trust Fox as much as she once did, and that in and of itself was a tough pill to swallow. As much as it pained her to think that, she did feel a bit better acknowledging those feelings instead of trying to suppress them. It's always better to get them off your chest.

With this in mind, Krystal thought about changes… changes to herself, her mentality, and her demeanor. Falco proved he could be compassionate to an aching heart despite his track record of being irritable and disobedient. Falco also proves he deserves to be where he is every time he laces up his boots, and continues to prove his worth every day. He doesn't let his arrogance and disobedience define his character as much as his combat skills. He sets his own rules and still succeeds. Maybe he was on to something… Maybe being " _bad_ " every so often would cement herself into the team just as Falco had. Maybe being _bad_ wasn't a bad idea.

While she let her mind wander with that thought, she held the high of elation and basked in the fun of soaring down the interstate, letting all traces of worry dissipate in its wake.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Unfortunately for Fox, he had to settle eating dinner with just Remi. Not wanting to dirty the dining table, the two ate beside each other at the bar counter overlooking the kitchen. The vixen enjoyed Fox's cooking and gave compliments where appropriate. Though, she did up eating what was supposed to be Krystal's serving, so there was no worry about leftovers. He took it as a compliment that she ate as much as she did; must've meant his food was as good as she kept saying it was. Not like he didn't hear much of it; he didn't really pay much attention to the conversation. The situation with Krystal still perplexed him.

"At least we have the house to ourselves," commented Remi while Fox was cleaning up the kitchen.

"If there's one plus to get out of tonight," murmured Fox.

"Do you mind if I use your shower?"

Fox shrugged. "Fine by me. Use the one in my room. I'll…" he paused to muffle a sigh. "I'll be up there as soon as I'm done."

"Cool," she replied, then zipped up the stairs without a moment's hesitation. With every passing moment afterwards, Fox felt more and more hesitant. He had to look at the positives. Her apparent boundless energy and dirty mind had to add up to something he may not get anywhere else. The idea of having telepathy like the two vixens had strong appeal as well. But like clockwork, everything would be dashed the moment he thought about Remi, about who she was and the things she's said. He'd think about his relationship with Fara, the ongoing drama with Krystal, the impending criticisms he'd get from his teammates, and then back to Remi again.

On the surface, the negatives and positives seemed to counteract one another, with the latter option just barely edging out the former. Upon finding this out, he bit his tongue, tucked his tail, and trudged upstairs. Remi was still getting cleaned up when he entered his room, evident by the sound of flowing water and the light escaping beyond the ajar bathroom door. He used this time to escape the clothing he had worn out in the rain back at Naval Bay for something more comfortable and clean. With the Cerinian still busy, Fox picked out his tablet and sat up in bed, patiently and anxiously waiting.

The girl was tough. She fought that monster of a Paladin and escaped with only bruises and minor pains. That feared elbow sprain? She seemingly shrugged it off and was using it fine ever since their plane touched down at HQ. Part of him wanted to spar with the vixen to truly test her strength and abilities as a mercenary, but another part was scared that he'd end up getting hurt. She clearly didn't mess around. Still, he admired that tough strand in her, and internally wished that some of his teammates could inherit that same strand.

She also had a mind for the greater good. As much as he wanted to discredit her by saying she was just a horny, young adult with an axe to grind, he couldn't deny her intelligence. That Paladin would have hidden under their noses all day had she not intervened. She was stubborn in her pursuit and was rewarded for that perseverance. Hell, even the idea that inched closer and closer to fruition with every passing second had positive implications that he couldn't deny. All of which have or _had_ potential to backfire and cost her greatly, but have so far only produced positive effects. He held his breath on this one, but his betting odds had to be put on her ever-growing record of successes.

There was a weird part of him that actually anticipated tonight. She had done everything she said she was going to do—barring circumstances that she'd certainly love to change—and in Fox's mind deserved to be rewarded for her service. She did appear immature and problematic on the surface, but she's proven to be indispensable in their ongoing mission. Even in the short time he's known her, she's had an uncanny ability to manufacture something from nothing, whether it be by sheer luck or unique skills that he'd soon be baptized into. As much as he wanted to discredit everything she's done as a comedy of expertly placed correct guesses, he couldn't _think_ that, let alone tell her that in good conscience. She was just _good_ , even if some part of him wanted to say that she didn't deserve the recognition for being _that_ good.

Fox was only made aware of her presence by the sound of the bathroom door pulling inwards. He was expecting something to pop out at him, but not to this extent. She looked much like Fox's first impression of her back at HQ a few days back, except more… _familiar_ than then. Her silver hair was bound at the crown of her head as before, letting it spill down to the backs of her shoulders. A soft pelt of pale blue and white covered her lean and agile frame like any normal vixen. A small amount of compression tape bound her injured elbow, but aside from that, all Fox saw was fur. He couldn't _not_ blush.

She looked even younger without the confides of clothes, making him even more uncomfortable. Every part of her looked flat and two-dimensional, almost to the point where she could turn sideways and end up disappearing. Her hips and chest had virtually no definition, and coupled with the two greenish-yellow eyes that stared back at him with childlike wonder, a new wave of doubt clouded his mind.

He didn't say anything, however. Remi could only take a few shallow steps out of the doorway before freezing up. While her eyes never broke from Fox's, they didn't glow like in other situations where that weird glow would be expected. Her bushy vulpine tail stayed relatively motionless aside from the white tip occasionally getting away from her. She began to nibble on one of her fingers, wanting to continue forward but failing to do so.

Fox set his tablet down. "Are you nervous?" he asked, a little bewildered he had to ask that question to her of all people.

Her squeaky voice answered, "Yes."

As much as Fox wanted to use that for ammunition, he decided to just nod his head. "Me too."

The young vixen seemed to squirm in her own body, restlessly raking her hind claws along the carpet while on the verge of breaking skin with her canines. "This is… sorta new… to me…"

"Wait…" Fox narrowed one eye. "This is _new_?"

"Well," Remi tried to grin to lighten the mood, but it didn't work well. "I really did want to give you the Cerinian link as soon as possible, knowing what we were about to get into and knowing what the other Cerinians are capable of. I could sense the start of the link the moment I met you, and I wanted to finish the connection for you. Obviously, I'm a lot younger than you, so you would have said no, which you did. I… I played up sleeping with all these guys and what I supposedly did to… to try to tell you that it wasn't as bad as what it seemed."

Fox blinked a few times. "So, you… you lied?"

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"I… I thought you said you couldn't."

Remi looked down. "It's misleading. It's more of the promise I made myself… Do you mind if I tell the story? It'll give you a bit more exposition."

"Not at all," Fox said, getting out of bed to approach her. He urged her to take a seat on the bed, which she did.

Remi sighed and began with a low, shaky voice. "I was only thirteen when Cerinia began to collapse. In my culture, anyone with a name like mine or a few others are seen as future warriors. Paladins. I was once a Paladin in training, but when Cerinia began to break apart, the Alphas and Head Alpha began to deviate from the gods' teachings. They were corrupted with greed and sick with egotism, plotting extravagant plans that would wipe out life in the entire system. I wanted no part of them, so I defected and tried to flee. Karyu caught me before I could escape. He was going to kill me unless I returned to the Alphas. I was scared of death then, but I refused to return. So I… I lied to him and told him I was someone else; that I wasn't a Paladin."

Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "He didn't kill me, but… I wish he did. Instead, he… he violated my memories… destroyed most of them… and then violated me… …He raped me when I was only thirteen, and…" Unable to continue, the vixen just trailed off.

Fox wiped away some of her tears when she didn't stop crying. "That's why you hated him so much," he murmured.

"I wanted him dead," she growled with wavering intensity. "He should be punished for what he did." She shook her head and calmed herself down, letting Fox gently wipe away the rest of her tears. "I promised myself I would never lie again, so that I didn't have to remind myself of when I did…"

Fox exhaled. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," the vixen forced a weak grin. "I feel better getting it off my chest, though. Thanks for listening."

"Hey, you're part of my team," Fox returned the weak grin. "I ought to take care of my team."

Remi giggled. "I appreciate that."

Fox's ears began to twitch as he backed away. "So… are we… good to go?"

Remi's nervousness returned. "I… I guess so. I'm still really nervous; I've never… done anything since… since Karyu…"

Even Fox seemed a little restless. "Well… we can have fun with it, right? Just relax and have fun? No worries?"

Remi nodded. "It's easier to get in touch with your network if you're enjoying it," she swallowed hard. "Your mind will open up much easier."

"Okay," Fox then opened a drawer on his nightstand and pulled out an unopened box. "If it makes you feel any better, I still have some of these. I guess I got them because I thought Krys and I would need them, but I think now is—"

"Fox, Fox, Fox, hold on," Remi awkwardly interrupted. "We… don't need them."

Fox set the box on the side of the table and shut the drawer. "But… what if…?"

Remi became more fidgety. "We don't need them because I… I can't…"

"What do you mean you can't?" asked a shocked Fox. "Are you serious? You're not _that_ young."

"There's more to that story," she began with a faltering voice. "Cerinians… we're very in-tune with our mind and body. The slightest thing off with either mind or body can be felt almost instantly. …And, because of the evolution in our race, Cerinian girls can become fertile as young as age nine. As soon as Karyu was done with me, I could feel new life begin to grow."

Ever so slightly, Remi's arms began to shake. "I became desperate… I didn't want to live with my mistake, especially with what was happening with Cerinia, and knowing who the father would have been. A friend of mine had a book of spells that I found after he was killed. There wasn't an incantation that could stop that life from growing, as new life is sacred on Cerinia. However, there was another spell that would produce the same effect… but it was a spell reserved for older women who were either too old or who were unwilling to be mothers again. It was the only thing I could do."

Fox's heart sank. "An infertility spell?"

Remi could only nod in agreement.

"And you can't reverse it?"

"Incantations of that nature are irreversible," she sighed. "So I'd either have to live with a child of that monster, or agree to never have children. I had no other option."

Fox frowned. "I'm so—"

"Don't apologize; you didn't know," Remi cracked another weak grin. "So… ditch the rubber. You don't need it."

"Fair enough," Fox shrugged. "I just think that's so awful. Knowing you can't have kids that young is terrible. I feel so sorry for you."

Remi wiped away tears and shrugged. "There's more to life than having kids. I had to tell myself that a lot, but it is true… more so in my case."

Fox just exhaled. "I guess you're right."

"Let's stop being so depressing," Remi's smile widened. "Let's just have fun while we can. How should we start?"

"Do you need help?"

Remi couldn't help but let a giggle slip through her muzzle. "Probably."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Falco slowed and pulled off to the side of a residential street, then turned off onto a driveway. Both he and Krystal got off, the latter of which watched as the bird walked his bike into his small garage. As he did so, Krystal took a few steps back and observed her surroundings. It was late, so much of her viewing light came from streetlights and porchlights of surrounding homes, some not much different than his.

The neighborhood was nice; it looked like a safe family subdivision, with small homes that looked like it could house a family of four snugly. The exterior of Falco's house didn't have the flair as his neighbors did, but for good reason. It looked like he didn't spend much time here. Though, she could understand why he had it. It was a quaint, comfortable neighborhood to settle down in between missions.

Falco closed his garage up and walked his guest to the front door. Upon opening the door, the lights inside immediately popped on. Falco ushered her inside first.

The first thing she noticed was that it was clean. Surprisingly clean. Like, _just moved in yesterday_ sort of clean. Apparently he didn't spend as much time here as she thought, which was underestimating her already low estimate. A couch and table filled the small family room, with the kitchen just beyond it. A narrow hallway sat on her left, leading to a single bedroom and another small room that held absolutely nothing. The bathroom must've been connected to Falco's room. There was barely any decoration or anything distinguishing his house from, again, a house that he seemingly just moved into.

"Make yourself at home," the avian said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. "It ain't much, but it's home, I suppose."

Krystal set her backpack along the wall near the hallway. "It's nice," she started, still allowing her eyes to wander. "It feels homely."

"Another word for small," Falco commented, immediately laughing it off. "Ay, I like it. I don't need much to be happy, y'know?"

"This is a lot, though," Krystal expanded, gingerly wandering about the place. "Not many people can say they have a home. You have a nice one too."

Falco smirked. "Thought it might be wise to get one whenever I decide to hang up the ol' wings. I 'ad the money from the Aparoid mission, n' thought this was the best use of it. Y'know, be an adult and make adult decisions for once in your life."

Krystal giggled. "It's smart. Knowing what you want to do and where you want to go once you're done."

"Truth be told I _didn't_ a few years back," he laughed again, flicking on the kitchen lights for a bit of extra light in the room. "Just wanted to fly 'till I died. After the Aparoids… thought better of it. Y'ain't gonna be able to do everythin' you love to do forever. Best to plan ahead, settle down, family, all that. It's still a long ways away for this old bird, but what better way to start when I want to by havin' a place to call home."

Krystal nodded, then smiled at him. "I never thought you'd be one for family."

Falco shrugged. "Define family," he followed up, taking a seat on the couch.

"For you…" she thought for a second. "Wife, kids, a future for those kids…"

"Maybe so," he merely tilted his head. "Just last year, y'ask me about family plans n' I'd'a laughed in your face. A lot can change in such a short amount of time. Some big moments'll do that to anyone."

Krystal nodded, knowing that last bit very well. That was basically her life in a nutshell.

"So 'ay," the bird added. "Listen, I ain't gonna be that kind'a host that just throws you out here to fend for yourself. That bed in the bedroom is yours for tonight. I'll survive out here."

Krystal's ears flattened. "Oh, I don't want to be a bother," she tried to say, but Falco didn't want any of it.

"I'm gonna treat my guests fine since I don't get very many," he smirked. "Help yourself. I'm used to sleeping on couches anyway. Never owned a bed until now."

That comment caught the vixen's curiosity. "Really?"

"Couldn't ever afford one," he commented. "And when I could, I was with Star Fox. See, I'm one'a those guys that you could make a movie out of, y'know? Bad life for years until you get that miraculous break that pulls you outta the dumpsters and gives ya a new life. That all started when I met Katt for the first time. Remember her?"

"Not very well," Krystal admitted, sitting next to the avian to listen more intently.

"She's the… well, _cat_ , with the pink fur," Falco smirked to himself. When Krystal nodded, he continued, "Can't even remember when I met that crazy girl. All I know is that when we started datin', she asked if I wanted to start flyin'. She was a part of some merc outfit in the Meteo belt 'er some shit, I can't remember. But when I started those flying lessons, I got it. _Instant_ natural. Yeah, _whatever_ _Falco_ , you're a bird so you _should_ know how to fly. Well I didn't until then, and even she was surprised at how fast I picked it up. Did some jobs for 'er outfit, made some cash, started workin' as my own freelance after 'er and I broke up, and then ol' Foxy got a hold of me. Rest is history."

Krystal couldn't help but smile.

"Reminds ya of someone, eh?"

She nodded. "Fox was basically my Katt. Helped me out of rough waters and got me a livelihood."

"And broke your 'eart like she did to me."

Krystal didn't know how to take that comment. Hell, she was surprised that it came out of his mouth. Yet, not answering him gave him the answer that he needed to continue on.

"Yeah, I know what's goin' on," he shrugged his head. "Believe me, I ain't the romantic type, but I can still pick out some stuff when I see it. Katt saw this new thing that she _had_ to 'ave and didn't really care what happened to me. Left 'er then and there. We see each other ever so often, whatever, I'll say hi and she'll ask how I've been. No tough feelin's because we're both happy how we are."

He took a breath and flattened his feathers. "Though I can't say the same for you and Foxy yet, and that's concernin'."

"Tell me about it," Krystal sighed.

"Well if it's worth sayin'," he started with a smirk. "Foxy is missin' out on somethin' special, since he fell down a few steps to get back with ol' Big Ears. Haven't known ya for very long, Krys, but you're somethin' special in every sense of the word. Fara'll get bored of takin' advantage of Foxy, and 'e'll come back to ya. Can't say that's a promise… but I'm willin' to bet money on it."

The vixen couldn't help but blush, yet trying to hide it made it worse. "Thanks," she giggled out.

"No prob, _blueness_ ," the bird laughed back. "Until then, just take it easy, kay? I ain't much, but y'ever need to get somethin' off your chest, talk to me. I'm part'a the team too, just like Foxy."

Krystal nodded, a deep feeling of relief finally washing over her. The duo spent the rest of the night chatting like two friends would. Krystal didn't even need to borrow his bed for the night, because after a few hours of talking and sharing stories like two new friends would, they both crashed on the couch.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Fox brought himself back down to reality with long, deep breaths to steady his spiked heartrate. He eased the cooldown by staring up at the ceiling fan above his bed. It took exactly three seconds for one of the blades to complete a full rotation. Having that harmonic, steady motion captivating him for as long as he needed was the only good way of coming down from such a height. He counted approximately twenty-three full rotations before he deemed his resting heart rate had returned to normal. Even so, his mind swirled and twisted as if he had gotten himself sick, which he kinda did after watching the spinning ceiling fan.

Both his and Remi's heavy breathing struck a harmonious chord, making it easier for the vulpine to rest easy. Being out of practice as he was, keeping up with such a young, energetic body proved to be difficult. Kicking himself into overdrive to get the most out of the moment as Remi insisted helped in hindsight, but the afterglow made him ache and gasp for breath, a feeling akin to drowning. Remi seemed to love every second of it, so he really couldn't complain much, so long as what they needed to do worked in the end.

When Fox finally calmed down enough to close his eyes, a faint whisper graced his ears. He could see Remi calming down beside him, but that wasn't her voice as far as he could tell. He closed his eyes again, but the whisper became marginally louder. Every time the vulpine would close his eyes, he'd hear that faint whisper gradually become louder until he could understand it.

 _Tell me it was awful if you hear this._

It couldn't be Remi talking; she was still steadying her breath. Honestly, Fox thought that she didn't even know where she was. Still, such an odd request from an odd whisper couldn't have been anyone else, unless he caught a shred of insanity from her. Abiding by the strange request, Fox opened his mouth and grunted,

"That was awful."

In an instant, Remi rolled over and pounced on the exhausted vulpine, straddling his stomach and pinning his wrists down. She started laughing in a way that only she knew how, stopped for a second or two to breathe, and then continued for an uncomfortable amount of time. When she finally relaxed herself, she planted a wet kiss on his snout, so much so that drool trailed from his nose to her mouth as she sat upright.

"And you thought I was crazy to do this."

Fox groaned as she released his arms. He wiped away the slobber, groaning, "You just drooled all over me."

"Don't I already do that anyway?" she teased.

Fox let his head sink back into his pillow.

"Fox, you could hear what I was thinking," Remi told him. "I didn't talk to you; you picked up on my thoughts."

"So that _was_ you," sighed Fox. "Wait," he sat upright, forcing Remi to scoot back. "It worked?"

"Heck yeah it worked!" she yipped, rolling off the bed and dancing in front of the huge bedroom window. "It worked without a hitch!"

Laughing at her goofy dance, Fox asked, "So now what?"

"This early on?" Remi scratched her chin. "You can listen to people's thoughts. You'll have to do what I do with Krystal and have meditation sessions every so often to build your skills up. It'll take a bit, but it needs time to grow right. We've gotten this far so I have total faith in this."

Fox nodded. "Okay. So, I assume you're exhausted and don't want to start now?"

"I mean, I'd be up for round two if you are," she smirked.

"Nice try," Fox chuckled back. He too rolled out of bed and stood in front of the window, not caring that he and his guest were completely nude. Early morning hours were gracing Corneria's skies, painting the landscape a deep shade of black aside from the lights knifing in from the streetlights below. The stars were hidden because of this, but the light from below provided just as much light as the distant starts would. He didn't realize how much time had actually passed until now.

The tips of Fox's fingers started to feel warm. Looking at his right hand, he started to rub at them with his other hand, thinking that it was just his blood flow fighting him. Still, the sensation didn't go away, no matter how much he tried to rub the feeling away from them. He dismissed the infinitesimal light emanating from the tops of his digits as reflections of the lights from outside, but the more he tried to rub the sensation away, the more the light seemed to grow.

"Uh, Remi?" Fox asked, holding out his hand to the vixen. Before she could respond, Fox noticed in his reflection in the window that the emerald green pigment in his eyes had a subtle, almost nonexistent glow to them. Yet, he still picked it out and started to worry. "Remi," his tone quivered as the sensation grew stronger. "What is—"

He felt a surge of power expel from his head and travel down his spine, standing every little strand of fur of his entire body on end. The energy coursed through his nerves until it concentrated on his outstretched, stinging hand. The instant the surge disappeared, a ball of fire formed in the hold of his paw, floating just above it as to not burn him. Fox's eyes went wide at the sight, which made the green glow in his eyes intensify.

"Excuse me?" Fox yelped, completely scared stiff. "Remi!"

The vixen, while in a state of awe, laughed at his priceless expression. "Wow," she let her maw hang open a bit. "So the link _does_ factor in the name, even if it's an outsider. That's incredible."

"REMI!"

"Chill it, Foxy," she giggled, staring at the tennis-ball size lump of flames in Fox's grasp. "Breathe and let it fade."

Hesitantly, Fox started to loosen up and let his inhales and exhales return to a steady pace, no different than coming down from the afterglow earlier. To his surprise, the fire faded away within moments, and the glow in his eyes subsided. Soon thereafter, the sensations in his fingers began to dissipate as well. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Remi," he started off shakily. "What did you do to me?"

The vixen just laughed. "You, my handsome stud, are assimilating into that Cerinian link exceptionally well. What I just saw was levels of telepathic manipulation that the Paladins first experience. Paladins are special warriors chosen the moment they willingly enter the Cerinian network. I know this because I was once chosen too, but I ran away and ended up here, like I told you."

"What does that _mean_?" Fox questioned, still on edge from what he just did.

"Certain people with the right given name gain exceptional skills from the Cerinian link," she explained. "Parents often choose whether to let their offspring into the Paladin order, which affects their given name. Krystal is no exception either. She and Karyu are skilled with a Cerinian battlestaff. I gain my skills from whatever I can use; a staff, a knife, anything. Do you see a pattern?"

"Their given name," Fox breathed. "The first letter corresponds to a skill?"

"Yes," Remi smiled. "You, Fox, will need this."

She bolted out of the bedroom and down the stairs in a flash. Within seconds, she returned with a slim book tucked underneath her arm. She stepped up to Fox and handed the book off. The letters on the worn leather cover were unlike anything he'd ever seen, and the pages within weren't too different; worn, dirty, and foreign to him.

"What is this?" Fox asked, flipping through the pages.

"A friend of mine was killed when we tried to escape," Remi explained. "I took that book after he died, hoping it would get more use than just making it so I can't have kids anymore. He was an F. A spellcaster."

Fox stared at the pages. "This is a book of spells?"

Remi bit her lower lip. "Not exactly…"

"I can't read this," he admitted. "I won't be able to use it."

"Well then we have a lot of meditation to do, don't we?"

"You can teach me?"

"I don't know about _teach_ , but I can help you use that book. It's an invaluable artifact to any Cerinian spellcaster. It's more than just the words on the page; it helps concentrate your energy and intensifies the incantations. More power with less effort and energy from you. You don't need to be able to read it, per say, but you do need to understand it."

Fox set the book on his bedside table. "You'll help?"

"What part of, _I don't want you being less than useless in our next fight_ , didn't you get?" Remi snickered.

Fox sighed. "I've got another random question."

"Shoot."

"Why did my eyes glow?" Fox looked at his reflection. "And why do yours?"

"It's an exhaust vent," Remi explained. "The energy you use when using the mind link or accessing your namesake's skills doesn't all go towards it; it gets lost in conversion. It changes to light, and it can only escape through your eyes, giving it that glow whenever you access the network."

Fox breathed. "Okay. That's good to know."

"Look at your reflection and try to pick up my thoughts."

He tried it, and was rewarded with what she said. His eyes began to glow ever so slightly. Ignoring the lewd thoughts the young vixen had, Fox turned back to her and smiled. "That explains a lot."

"My eyes do the same," Remi shrugged. "See, I'm not psychotic, I promise."

Fox laughed and slipped into bed. Seeing it was about time to do so, Remi slipped into the covers next to him. Yet, she didn't want to sleep just yet. She scooted over to Fox and rubbed her muzzle on his shoulder.

"Round two?" she purred innocently, making sure to bat at him with her tail. Fox deliberated for a few painfully long seconds before turning his head to blink at the vixen. Add another couple seconds before the vulpine bit his lower lip in potential guilt and regret.

"Don't tell Fara."

* * *

 **Ξ**

 **Ξ**

 **Ξ**

* * *

 **Cornerian Defense Force Communications Log — Version 11.1.30**

 **Date: 13-18-517 — 12**

 _/message_status_

 _*One unread message_

 _/open_mainbase_ _ **Corneria**_

-Corneria Training Base Eterna — (0 — stationary)  
-Corneria Training Base Orbital — (0 — stationary)  
-Corneria HQ Capital — (user)  
-Corneria Sister HQ Aquas — (0 — unavailable: weather index TS-S45)  
-Corneria Shipyard CC — (0 — stationary)  
-Corneria Shipyard Papetoon — (0 — occupied: index A441L)

 _/open_outpost_ _ **Meteo_Outer**_

 **Katina** {two outposts online}

-Katina Outpost Thunder — (0 — stationary)  
-Katina Outpost Jules — (0 — unavailable: weather index DS-S77)

 **Fichina** {zero outposts online :: *one unread message}

-Fichina Outpost D08 — (0 — _unresponsive_ :: last connected _13-17-122 — 12_ )  
-Fichina Outpost K11 — (1 — **URGENT** :: last connected _13-18-185 — 12_ )

 _/message_read_

 **CDF Message — Fichina Outpost K11**  
 _Message Sent: 13-18-072 — 12_

User: _Rhen_S_FTF11 (status; offline)_

{

 **"SOS"**

}

 _/system_log_user_Rhen_S_FTF11_

 ***USER SYSTEM LOG UNAVAILABLE. USER HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM ACCESS POINT.**

/set_objective "StarFox"  
/set_location "Fichina"  
/set_mission_status " **URGENT** "

/announcement_CDF_All

"Supply Great Fox for aid shipment, class 22A; be ready by 13-19-900" —*PH


	9. Lesson 2

**Ξ**

 **\- Lesson 2 -**

 _"_ _Laws of the Universe"_

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Ξ**

* * *

"I feel like a magician with what I can do," laughed Professor Lang, slowly pacing in front of his class. "I can do things that people think are silly. Impossible, even. Maybe there was a time in my life that I would agree with such people. But, curiosity is a potent drug. Curiosity can change even the most steadfast and hard-nosed people into the next great generation of inventors, architects, engineers, and artists. An overdose on curiosity will turn you into someone like me." Another laugh was shared throughout the class.

"I've got something magic I want to show," Professor Lang said, trotting over to the doors in the back of the hall. "I was approached at the end of my last lecture by a student here that said he looked over the course schedule and was a little disappointed that I had not included something he was interested in. I didn't want to deny anyone a chance to learn, so with the time remaining in lecture today, I would like to demonstrate what he wanted me to show."

From Flannery's seat, she could see the Alsatian wheel out a cart with a glass dome overtop a bulb of glass and a machine. Beside the dome was another machine she did not know. Lang took the time to set everything up, and when he plugged the cart into a power source, a dull beam of pale blue shot out of the first machine and hit the glass dome.

"This student was interested in the magnetic fields of planets in Lylat," he explained. "This student in particular was from Papetoon, a moon of Corneira with a particularly strong magnetic field. He wanted to know why and what it does. Well you all know of a magnetic field on Corneria because of what it does to your compasses; they always point north. In short, a magnetic field is the way a planet holds charged particles within a given space, both positively and negatively charged, like how a magnet can attract different metallic objects."

He walked away from the machine for a second. "Papetoon not only is an arid moon with a strong, dense atmosphere, but it also has the two main components of a magnetic field. In fact, our planetary system is one of the few in the universe where all of the inhabitable planets have a magnetic field, however potent or seemingly nonexistent it may be. This is mostly why most of our planets in the Lylat system are inhabitable; the magnetic field redirects solar wind from Lylat that would certainly be lethal if it would somehow get to our surface. I believe there was a movie that depicted Lylat as being unstable, and solar flares from Lylat eventually consumed Corneria. As an astronomer, that movie is silly and unlikely to happen in our era, but the concept behind it is accurate.

"Anyway, the two main components of a magnetic field are a high rotation rate, and liquid or solid metallic materials in the core of the planet; both topics we will cover in great detail as our semester rolls on. Papetoon has days that are half of ours, so that is most definitely a high rotation rate. Papetoon is also higher in volcanism, contributing to its arid surface, as well as providing a denser amount of metallic components due to volatile tectonics. Papetoon's magnetic field, compared to ours, is very powerful."

Professor Lang stepped back over to the machine. "But what does that _mean_? Well, the people in this class that are more military minded are aware that Papetoon is one of the few worlds that does not house a CDF training facility, nor keeps an infantry presence. The other two planets are Aquas and Venom. The magnetic field is to blame for two of these instances."

He gestured to the beam in the glass. "What I have here is a charged beam of hydrogen. Ionized hydrogen. Those same people that knew of Papetoon's lack of a training base also may know that ionized hydrogen is a main component of the energy-based weaponry the CDF uses. Don't worry, this beam is severely weakened. If it had the same power as the weapons the CDF uses, it would burn a hole through the entire building. Yet, regardless of the beam's intensity, it still follows the same principles of what I'm about to show you."

Lang cranked a dial on the machine beside the glass dome, and Flannery watched as the dull blue beam slowly started to arc upwards. The Alsatian laughed softly. "See? What I am doing here is increasing the local magnetic field within the dome. As more and more power is added, the beam becomes more distorted. It loops over itself in this instance, but in areas of high magnetic field activity, the beam will follow the trails of the field more than the trajectory of the shot. Hence why the CDF does not have bases in areas of high magnetic field activity. They could possibly shoot themselves if the components are there; if the magnetic field is powerful enough."

Lang watched on for a few moments before smiling again. "A magician, I tell you. Science stuff someone one day decided he or she wanted to examine… We base all of our education, our knowledge, and our confidence in people that had that special overdose of creativity. It's bizarre, yes, but as an astronomer myself, standing in the midst of a few future physicists or astronomers watching on right now, I wouldn't have it any other way."

The professor returned to his presentation slides above, beginning to quickly recap some of the concepts covered in the lecture. Flannery returned to her notebook to make sure that everything was written down the way she wanted it.

According to her notes, there are three distinct physical laws of the universe, discovered by someone whose name has been redacted within the last ten years or so. These three laws defined the way the universe was created, how it shaped and behaved, and how planetary systems act to this current day. These teachings have apparently been tried and true for hundreds of years, without one single astronomer or physicist being able to disprove them. Professor Lang made sure that people knew that, implying he might have tried to disprove them at one point.

Flannery wrote down the first law describing planetary motion following a rough elliptical path, with these paths varying depending on the situation; complete with a rough sketch of Lylat and a few planets. She made note of what Professor Lang mentioned about the lost dwarf star Solar, and how it had an extremely elliptical orbit that sometimes sent it beyond the outer planets' paths at aphelion, yet sometimes became the closest object to Lylat at perihelion. Flannery sketched in the lost star far away from Lylat, but drew a orbital line that almost intersected the orbital line of Corneira.

Regarding those orbits, Flannery's second law written down was about the area the planets covered. Even with Macbeth being the closest planet to Lylat, the area that it swept between itself and Lylat within a year covered the same distance as Corneria in a single season. This describes why inner planets can revolve around Lylat so quickly, while outer planets can take years and years to complete a full revolution. Flannery added to her drawings by adding segmented lines to the orbital paths, mapping out a small, yet wide area, and a long, narrow area on the other side. Both areas she mapped were theoretically the same distance, which she made a note of at the bottom.

Finally, Flannery jotted down the last law covering the math behind planetary motion. If she would take the revolution period of Corneira and square it, it would be equal to if she would take the major axis of rotation (the distance between Lylat and Corneria) and cube that number. The same could be said for every planet orbiting Lylat, and any planet orbiting any other star within this galaxy, and maybe every other galaxy out there. That formula found itself next to her diagram, emphasized with thick lines boxing the variables.

Her notes soon trailed off after that, as she was too engrossed with Professor Lang's lecture to bother taking any notes. He explained everything so concisely and had an exuberant personality full of life and that potent drug known as curiosity. Though, his curiosity wasn't wonder like Flannery; his was more along the lines of knowing he couldn't disprove anything he said despite his knowledge and basking in that feeling of sheer awe. He certainly tried to convey that feeling in his lectures, which certainly worked for the young hybrid.

The wonder this spawned for Flannery was astonishing. She came into this class thinking she'd enjoy it for what it was, but soon found interest beyond her wildest dreams.

Curiosity certainly was a very potent drug.

* * *

 **Ξ**

 **Ξ**

 **Ξ**

* * *

 _There's the old drumbeat.  
You know, the one that starts  
slow, building faster and faster.  
Gets hard to nod your head to.  
You should know that well,  
given that, if you remember,  
it was the same beat we heard.  
And there's the guitar. Green,  
just like your eyes, glowing when  
the dim stage lights hit it right.  
It hums, quietly  
playing note after note, with–  
No voice yet.  
That comes later, remember?_

…


	10. 2 — All Signs Point to–

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 2 []**

 ** _Separating Bad Courtesy_**

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 10**

 _All Signs Point to a Cold Dark Winter Wasteland_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: I apologize for such a long wait. Needed to take care of the end of the semester and the projects that entailed. With that out of the way, I hope to have more consistent updates, now that we're onto the second arc. Thanks for being so patient, now it's time for the reward. :)**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Fox had never gone from waking up snuggling with a vixen to rushing to the CDF Headquarters in such a record-breaking time. Yet—to discount that a bit—apparently today was a day of breaking records. He couldn't remember the last time he had gotten dressed in less than a minute, but he managed to break that record too. Another broken record was Remi, repeating the same question and complain over and over while Fox sped through city streets, luckily not forgetting to turn his lights on so he wouldn't get pulled over.

 _"Fox_ ," Remi whined for the umpteenth time. Only then did he notice his Cerinian passenger swimming in one of his Cornerian University hooded sweatshirts that looked seven sizes too big for her. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Peppy said he got a message when he got to HQ this morning," Fox explained, still regaining his breath from hustling out the door. "It was from a Fichinian outpost commander. Apparently all the message had was an _SOS_."

All Remi did was narrow her eyes.

"I know, I'm confused too," Fox said, finally pulling into the parking lot for HQ. He could see his monster of a warship sitting comfortably on the tarmac way off in the distance, but could also see fleets of freighter trucks heading back and forth, presumably from his ship. "Excuse me?" he instinctively said, pulling into his parking space. "What are they doing?"

"I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up," Remi began. "But this hoodie is all I have on."

Fox blasted his forehead on the top of his steering wheel. "Just the hoodie?"

"Wanna see for your—"

"No, I believe you, I believe you," Fox hastily answered when the vixen tugged on the collar. She giggled and jumped out of his truck, tail wagging in her wake.

"So are we gonna go see your ship?"

"I'm gonna find out what they're doing to her," he almost growled, then shifted his concern to the vixen. "Are you fine in just that?"

"I've been caught in less."

Fox paused for all of a second before sighing, "This story is gonna be the death of me," as he exited his vehicle. Remi happily followed him, barely concerned with her concerning lack of attire.

"Oh hey, look!"

Fox stopped for a moment to see what the vixen was excited about. A cherry red motorbike just passed through the gated security checkpoint and slowly crept towards the two vulpines. Falco shot them a smirk as he rolled to a stop right next to Fox's SUV. While he did that, Fox's attention directed towards Krystal, who just pulled her helmet off and hopped off the bike.

"Goodness that is just too fun," she laughed, setting the helmet on his seat.

"And to think you were scared of 'er on the first ride," the avian laughed back.

"Well yeah; but you're such a good driver!" Krystal exclaimed.

"Eh, I don't wanna pat myself on the back," Falco chuckled.

"I think you should," smiled Krystal.

Remi winked at the bird as he stepped closer. "Is there room on that bike for another rider?"

"You'll 'ave ta fight Krystal," Falco replied honestly. Remi jokingly gave the older vixen a death glare, to which she just laughed away.

"I see you two got the message too?" Fox interrupted.

"Got it this mornin'," answered Falco. "Didn't get shit for answers though. You know anythin', Foxy?"

"Not much more than you," the tod replied.

Falco shrugged. "Ain't gonna get nothin' if we're standin' 'ere. S'go find the old man and see what he knows."

"I don't think he'll know much more either," Fox reminded, the other three following him towards the tarmac. "I just wanna know what they're doing to my ship."

"Looks like they're loadin' 'er up for a supply run," Falco observed. "Great Fox _is_ partly a cargo ship."

"I'm confused as to why," Fox mused. "The message they sent us did say we're going out to Fichina. Maybe it's a supply run out there?"

"Why'd they contact us for a supply run?" Falco questioned. "There's gotta be more that they ain't tellin' us."

"Let's just find—"

"Ay look; Beltino," Falco pointed at the squat figure nestled in between a few towering officials. When it was just him and one other, the team of four wandered over to him. When Falco called him out, the older frog was shocked at first, but quickly warmed up to the familiar faces.

"Hi Beltino," Fox politely started. "What brings you out here?"

"Oh, yes, hello," the frog smiled widely. "It's great to see you! It's been quite some time, quite some time indeed."

The imposing canine standing beside the elder frog turned around and scowled. "Who are these pip-squeaks?" the Alsatian growled in a tone that Fox didn't even know could get that low and growly.

"Oh, yes, I do apologize," Beltino stammered. "Lieutenant, this is the Star Fox crew. Fox, this is Lieutenant Weslyian Yeager. He's standing in for General Hare while he sorts out pressing matters, yes."

"You're telling me your name is _Fox_?" the massive hybrid didn't crack a grin. "That almost makes me laugh."

Fox held out a paw to introduce himself properly, but the hybrid Wes just stared; burning holes through the outstretched arm until he begrudgingly retracted it.

"Erm, well," Beltino began. "As you are already aware, you and your team will be travelling to Fichina to investigate the distress calls we received early this morning. Since we are unsure of the status of our outposts—we have little to work with all things considered, yes—we are loading your vessel with supplies to distribute to the locals. We also are commissioning a few helping hands to accompany you; some doctors, workers, and extra protection should the circumstances become dire."

Wes snatched the clipboard out of Beltino's hands and squinted at the writing on the pages. "The _nerds_ in the back calculated how much your ship—that's _obviously_ compensating for something—can hold while maintaining the fastest possible travel time. We don't wanna waste fuel and resources to make a supply run out there, so you'll havta suffice."

"She really can't hold that much," Fox commented.

"The grunts said that about my ex-girlfriend," muttered Wes.

Fox blinked, while Remi giggled to herself.

"And I've picked my teeth with twigs bigger than you," he snapped at Remi. "Your fake laugh ain't phasing me. Listen, twerps; the fighters you store in that ship could break if I _looked_ at 'em the wrong way, and it wasted a lot of our guys' time takin' 'em out and puttin' them into storage. I'll make General Hare take that time outta your checks as _wasted assets_."

"Look who's talkin'," chirped Falco.

Wes took exception to this comment. "Oh, believe me, bitch, we're gonna keep your shit nice and goddamn tidy for the wasted time it forced on us. Not like you're unfamiliar with forcing shit on other people."

Falco merely laughed. "Your rankin' don't mean shit. Badmouthin' me s'only gonna make your life harder, believe me."

"Guys, guys," Krystal interjected. "The rating."

"Fuck the rating," Wes sneered. "I broke the goddamn censor once; and you better bet your virginity that I can break it fifty times over."

Krystal blinked. "My _huh_?"

"Too bad people're numb to swearin' so it won't make any difference," spat Falco. "Though the second ya show dick everyone will lose their minds."

"Oh don't mind if I—"

"Anyway," it was Fox's turn to interject. "Lieutenant, can you please make sure that our ships aren't damaged? There's a lot of money that goes into repairs and—"

Wes threw the clipboard behind him in frustration. "You think _I_ can go make that happen? Want me to just drop all the shit I have to oversee to make sure your bastard ships don't get a single goddamn scratch?"

"Well in our contract—"

"Bitch, what contract?" Wes snarled. "I got a contract too; it keeps me from shoving my foot so far up your ass that you can taste the shit I had to step in to get my rank."

Krystal awkwardly added in a, "Sir?"

"Don't fuckin' talk to me," he demanded. "For baby-making's sake, boy; I'm only in charge of four or five things around here right now and two of 'em are each middle finger!" he emphasized his point by showcasing his favorite gesture to the auburn vulpine.

"I think we should just get ready," Fox rolled his eyes, gently tugging the two vixens away from Wes with one arm, while holding Falco back with the other. Beltino followed, still eager to talk.

" _That_ aside, we took the liberty to add a few pieces to your arsenal, yes," the elder frog explained. "My son perfected a vest that you all should wear. It's filled with a liquid compound that emits heat when struck with cold wind. Fichina is the perfect setting to use them, and it will keep your team safe."

"Great," Fox nodded. "I appreciate it."

"Though, we were advised not to upgrade any weaponry. In fact, we left them off of the docket for loading."

"Why's that?" asked the tod. "Do they not think we'll need them? Because I'd beg to differ in all honesty."

Beltino's name was called from across the tarmac. "Ah, yes, well, good luck to your team. We trust you."

Fox sighed as Beltino """ran""" off. Though, his sigh was cut off when Fara's arm snuck out of the shadows of the cargo hold and slipped around his neck. She laughed as she held him in a pretend chokehold, ruffling the hair atop his head in the process. The trio of blue onlookers merely walked away without a word, disappearing into the halls of the warship.

"You're lucky I didn't break anything when you did that," Fox chuckled back.

"Oh please, you'd never hurt a hair on me," she said with assurance, releasing her grip only to plant a kiss. "How was last night? Feel better?"

Fox swallowed. "Much. I needed it too; it's almost as if it _lit a fire_ under me, I guess."

Fara caught the subtle snicker he let loose and added a, "What?"

"It's fine," Fox dismissed it. "Bad puns; I'll stop before it gets heated— er, out of control, rather."

"Well, okay," Fara smiled. "I'm just glad to hear you're feeling better."

"Did they fill you in?" asked Fox, quick to change the subject.

"I know as much as you do," Fara replied.

"So not much."

The fennec shook her head.

"Well if there's one thing Star Fox is good at, it's improvised comedic incompetence that somehow gets the job done."

Fara giggled. "Is that your new slogan?"

"Nah, but it should be."

She laughed again as she followed Fox into the dreadnaught. It wouldn't be long before Fichina was in their sights.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

 _It is obvious, no?_

 _I'm afraid not._

 _Foolish. You have already lost, so it is not worth my time repeating._

 _If you're so confident, then just get rid of me already._

 _My dear, you fear death more than you fear me. Erasing you will only remove the thing you fear most._

 _You liar._

 _Such a strong label could not be farther removed from the truth._

 _Prove me wrong, then._

 _Gladly. You see, the world you and your ancestors have called home is falling apart, crumbling by the day. The gods who provided this world have forgotten that an infinite entity such as life cannot survive on a finite vessel. Resources are not unlimited like life is. The god's teachings and scriptures told us not to fear; as life will survive for eternity. Yet, life cannot and will not survive without resources; resources that have been depleted to the point of deterioration. The gods are the liars, my dear._

 _You sapped up the resources._ _ **You**_ _stole the planet's energy._

 _We were given dominion and authority over anything below us, my dear. Stealing would imply the gods did not say such a thing. Did you forget this?_

 _That shouldn't mean you can just take everything for yourself and leave nothing left._

 _If I were taking everything for myself, I would not bother with the Paladins and Alphas, nor waste my time with you. I would simply erase what I consider irredeemable and lost, then build my new_ _ **infinite**_ _vessel without anyone beside me._ _ **That**_ _is selfishness. You should be thankful that I even consider a rebellious face such as yours important._

 _Why?_

 _Ah, now I have your attention._

 _Not hardly. Just talk._

 _Awfully arrogant coming from someone I could end in a heartbeat._

 _Do it._

 _I feel the quiver in your voice, young one. You fear my power and authority, and instead of accepting it, you rebel and cover your ears to spare yourself from hearing the truth. The truth I seek is contrary to the truth you have learned by those I seek to eradicate from history. This is exactly the reason why I believe this vessel is in ruins. Truth that conflicts with your outdated beliefs is the venom that cloaks my blade. Dare I ask you again?_

 _Ask me what?_

 _Do not play dumb with me. Will you accept this truth and accompany me, or will you rot in rebellious selfishness? Only one answer will let you avoid that which you fear most._

 _…_

 _Your lack of an answer speaks volumes. Very well. Yet, I still see a spark of promise in you. I wish not to terminate such a young life when it is clouded with doubt and false truths. Your clan can and will murder those undeserving of death; a damming incitement of this world. If you fear death so much, Remilia… I have the power to grant you and those you love eternal life and happiness, on a new world of my vision. I beg of you to step aside and let this world be reborn._

 _…_

 _I cannot lose another one._

…

…

…

Remi's eyes unceremoniously snapped open. The empty void of black in her cabin greeted her for all of a few minutes until the room gradually lightened up to her awaking senses. She wasn't afraid; her heartrate stayed normal and her mind didn't spike. Still, bolting awake so suddenly and so effectively made it hard for her to fall back asleep. They were still quite a way's away from Fichina, so to kill time, Remi slipped out of her sheets and crept out of the room, careful not to wake up anyone else still soundly asleep.

The dimly lit hallways of the Great Fox were straightforward. Dual halls spanned the length of the warship, with rooms lining either side of each until they met up with one another to lead to the bridge. This was the uppermost floor; the warship had two more floors with just as many rooms for each, aside from the bottom floor that was cut in half for storage and the hangar bay. Remi gathered all this information by herself, since she passed time by literally making laps of each of the Great Fox's floors. She must've woken up at a good time, since she didn't encounter anyone over the few hours she spent wandering.

After a while she started to shiver. The cold floors started to numb her feet, and the vacuum of space didn't allow for much heat to stay circulated within the halls. Still, the laps around Fox's warship helped ease a lot of her worries despite most of them staying ever present. The Cerinian in her wouldn't rest. More accurately, the Cerinian in her wouldn't _let_ her rest. Not now. Her mind stayed perpetually active, thinking of every possible scenario that could have a statistical chance at occurring under her watch.

The dream she had… she didn't know that memory existed. As much as she wanted to think that was false—just another attempt by her fractured mind to instill another layer of worry within her soul—she had just as much reason to accept it as a floating memory: incomplete but reliable. The motives of this person she talked to were consistent, the reasonings given were viable, and the emotion—or lack thereof—mirrored that of someone she knew. Someone she definitely knew but couldn't connect to fully. The memory was faded beyond total comprehension, so the voice of that person was skewed and unfamiliar. Yet, that person did show vulnerability, as little as there was to base off of.

Still, the voice proved one of her lingering dispositions true. She hated to admit she was afraid of death and what would follow her after her inevitable demise, but the tangible uncertainty enveloping death like a sickly aura gave her anxiety no matter how much she assured herself otherwise. Being so close to death so many times already only proved to tease her with unproven conceptions and the enticing reward of truth about the scary subject. Fear crippled her true disposition so that her answer to the person in her dreams was marred with false confidence.

How did this person know? It's not like someone can go up to anyone and determine their deepest fear within seconds, so obviously this person must've had some history with her before. This is another moment where her fragmented mind made her sick. Not knowing something that—to anyone else—may seem completely and totally obvious made her even more anxious than before. If there was one thing she feared alongside the void of death, it was uncertainty. The uncertainty of death was her one true nightmare indeed, yet anything that seemed varied or unsolvable made the vixen want to chew off fingers. Maybe her own, maybe others'.

There was one thing that had remained constant, however. This new world this person spoke of… it mirrored the same sermon spoken by Karyu. It mirrored sentiment from Alphas she encountered in past memories. This person she spoke with in this faded memory was on their side, at least from what she could deduce from what little material she could work with. This new world they spoke of, a sort of recreation of the birth of the universe, a restart on life itself, whatever they wanted to call it… it couldn't be possible. No, that's the gods' work. This was just fear-mongering, a way to get people to surrender for fear of certain death. It couldn't be possible.

Being a Cerinian meant she was well-versed in the psychology of her mind, even with pieces broken and rewired. She _had_ to be, especially with how fractured her mind was. Being scared into submission wasn't out of the question, nor was her own mind attempting to do the same to cope with the confusion—an attempt to quell the dissonance between thought and reality. The time she spent on Corneria after Cerinia's implosion was full of such thoughts. It was a sort of defragmentation of shattered thoughts and desires, put together with a taste of reality.

Dissonance, especially to that magnitude, is a very powerful influencer that can bend and warp truth in subvert, unconscious ways. It's the same feeling that tricks people into doing undesirable things for a perceived greater good. Remi knew better. In fact, she _trained_ herself to know better—to ignore the desire to bend reality. She settled for not knowing the answer for years, and with the reemergence of the Cerinian's plans, reawakening her years of suppressing that desire needed time to de-rust.

She knew she was powerful. She knew she had abilities that Cornerians couldn't comprehend. Hell, she had abilities that the Paladins would kill for… if they haven't already. Being dormant for years under the cover of secrecy and fear let those abilities sleep and recharge. Waking them up may be harder than she'd care to admit, but the mere thought of having such a reserve of power did weaken the grasp of fear over her mind. Much like her mind, her abilities needed time to blossom. Time that forced her to wander the Great Fox until people began to wake up.

With a newfound headache, Remi returned to her room to find her temporary roommates gone. She settled back into bed and actually managed to calm her whirring mind enough to fall back asleep for a while.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Fox made it down into the hangar just in time to catch the large hatch opening up to the Fichinian world. A blast of frozen artic air filled the hangar bay, dusting everything in sight with powdery snow that drifted as winds engulfed the opening. Fox nuzzled into his protective thermal gear and stepped down to the base of the hangar. A few Fichinian workers quickly stepped inside and started to work with Fox's extra crew to unload the supplies. Not wasting a moment, Fox stepped out of the "comfort" of his hangar and stood atop the ramp leading down onto snow-covered tarmac.

A bleak, deep gray sky enveloped the small town, with the only light coming from windows and streetlights dotting the settlement. A large barracks-like building sat off to Fox's left, with half of the windows either boarded up or black. The other half of town had a few houses and warehouses, but they all seemed abandoned and covered with excess snow. The only distinct path led from Fox's ship to the barracks area. Snow covered the rough terrain for as far as the eye could see, which wasn't much in hindsight. Snow blew in all directions, buffeting anything or anyone it touched with unrelenting malice. The faint outline of mountains could be seen off in the distance.

"There isn't much to see, eh?" said a feminine voice. Fox looked over to see a heavily bundled figure standing off to the side of the hangar bays ramp. He couldn't make out any of her features, other than her voice. Everything else was covered, protected from the hostile elements.

"Reminds me of back home, only less sand. And don't even get me started on sand." Fox joked. Even with as dire as the situation was, the female cracked a giggle.

"You get used to the snow after a while," she remarked, holding out a gloved hand. "I'm Captain Rhen; joint base leader here."

"Fox McCloud," the vulpine answered, returning the gesture.

"Ah, _you're_ Fox," the captain laughed. "I couldn't tell under the gear. As much as I'd love to talk more, it'll have to wait until we get inside, okay? Tell your team to meet me in the shelter; supper will start once the supplies we need are unpacked. I'll give you all info then."

"Will do," Fox answered, retreating back into his ship. He made his way around the fleet of workers unloading his ship to make it back to the team's common area, where most were still putting on their gear. Pulling back his goggles and facemask, Fox announced that they'd be able to eat soon, which was met with a collective cry of approval.

Remi was the first to approach him. She looked a bit odd; having everything about her covered up as if she was about to inspect a nuclear waste facility. The white thermal jacket enveloped her slender frame and added a thick turning radius in exchange for limitless warmth. Heavy boots, insulated pants, a thick hat strapped under her chin, and aviator goggles completed the unflattering but highly practical suit. Still, despite the weight of it, she moved as efficiently and carefully as before, providing enough assurance that—whatever they were needed to do—Remi still appeared to be at the top of her game.

"Anything?" Fox asked, knowing well enough not to explain.

She simply replied, "Yes."

Fox blinked. "A Cerinian?"

"A strong one," Remi nodded. "Probably an Alpha."

"Oh _goody_ ," he breathed.

"I'm not scared," the vixen stated. "You're gonna make this fight a lot easier."

"I wouldn't be so sure," murmured Fox.

"I would," Remi winked. "I'd even go as far as saying we're _on fire_ with you being like you are now."

"Hey, I'm the only one that's allowed to make fire puns," Fox grunted. "Besides, they're getting annoying already."

"Would you say they're—" Remi stifled a laugh as Fox's eyes narrowed. "They're _firing_ you up?"

"Remi—"

"Oops, did I _put you out_ too soon?"

Fox just glared disapprovingly.

"You seem a bit _heated_."

"I will dunk your head in the snow," deadpanned Fox.

"Aw, come on Fox; no need to _extinguish_ the fun."

Fara's ears intercepted Fox's discontent, prompting the fennec to step in.

"Oh look, the fireman is here," Remi said without skipping a beat.

Fara's open mouth produced no words for a moment as she cocked her head. "Fire ** _man_**?"

"I know what I said."

Fara scoffed. "I'm not gonna fight you. I just wanna make sure that there won't be any issues going forward. Meaning I don't want to see you pestering Foxy. Got it?"

"Hey, it's just jest," Remi shrugged. "No hard feelings."

"Just don't get under our skin," Fara warned. "Believe me, Fox is just as much a hot-head as me, so if something irritates us—"

" **Fire pun**!" Remi shouted, bellowing a hearty laugh before skipping off and out into the halls.

Fara slowly turned her head to Fox. "I feel like I missed something important."

"Must not be important enough," Fox shrugged off. "Anyway, guys, Captain Rhen is gonna give us all details inside over dinner. Let's get packed up and move, alright?"

The team did as they were instructed and left the dreadnaught after a few moments. They followed the natives along the only traversable path that led to the large structure on the left. A set of metal doors barred them from the inside, seemingly frozen shut to the point where even looking at them could get you stuck to them.

The forearm of one of the Fichinians locked with a receptor along the right side of the doors, and after a few seconds, the metal doors split down the middle and slowly peeled into the walls. Taking that as their initiative, the Star Fox team stepped inside.

The heavy doors clasped shut, kicking up a thin layer of powdery snow as the two doors collided. The powder soon disappeared into nothing as comforting warmth soon surged through the other set of metal doors acting as a sort of airlock. The team pulled back their goggled and facemasks as they stepped into the atrium of the barracks building.

Two wings sprouted from the nearly empty great room, both allowing long hallways to extend outward and curl back, seemingly to reconnect and create a perimeter around the giant mess hall in the center. Two staircases flanked the opening to the mess hall, linking up with a balcony that served as a second floor to the hallways. Everything was made from dark finished wood, covered by rugs and carpeting that resembled that of a colonial hotel. Maybe this building _was_ a hotel repurposed for military housing when the Aparoids broke out years ago.

Captain Rhen removed the helmet over her head, unleashing a tidal wave of silver locks that she flung backwards, catching the lights above to appear as if her hair had ignited upon revelation. She craned her head around to flip her hair more, revealing the face of a white arctic wolf, ears and face showing a marginable bit of deep gray. Eyes pale blue to the point of almost being gray stared back at Fox and co, immediately conveying a sense of earnest trust and care. She smiled at the crew as she tucked her helmet under her arm.

Fox's stare was interrupted by a jab to the kidney by Falco, a slap to the back of the head by Fara, and a kick behind the knee by Remi. The flurry of attacks made Fox falter and almost fall into Captain Rhen, if it wasn't for a new face jumping out of the shadows and clasping the scruff on Fox's neck, pulling him back before colliding.

"Easy," the wolfess chuckled. "Fox, this is Six; an operator in my task force." With that, the giant of a timber wolf released Fox and almost sent him stumbling into his team. "And please, call me Skae. Captain of Task Force Eleven. My team and I will be your partners for this assignment."

The mostly dark gray timber wolf at Skae's side wore a face mask with an insignia of two long canine teeth over his muzzle. The only thing distinguishing this massive lupine were two hazel eyes glaring at the vulpine. Before things got too awkward, two more masked individuals entered from the left hallway and stood by Skae's side; a white-feathered avian and an arctic vulpine. Similar black gear covered the two operators, including the insignia on the facemask. Neither said a word.

"Five, Seven; Star Fox is here."

The trio of operators merely nodded.

Skae pulled out a ring of keys from her pocket and tossed them at Fox. "Sorry to keep throwing you guys around, but we've got a tight schedule we need to keep to. Why don't you get your team settled in for now before supper? Room 156 on the right is open for you. Surely a few of you can double up for the night." Skae spun around and slipped into the giant mess hall, with her three teammates closely following.

Fox looked over his shoulder to his team, shrugged, and did what he was advised to do until dinnertime rolled around.

The mess hall was already swarming with people when Fox and his team returned. Though, the vulpine immediately took note of the kinds of people filling the lines of cafeteria tables. Not counting the crew he brought with him on the Great Fox, he could count how many able-bodied men there were on two hands. The rest were women, older folk, and children ranging from early teens to damn near newborns. It almost looked like a big charter ship had sunk and these people were all they could fit on the lifeboats.

Prepackaged and dehydrated food that he grew up loving (obvious sarcasm) """filled""" his tray as he and his team walked through the line. Remi took exception to the contents on her tray and tried to argue with the cooks, until a perturbed Falco pulled her away by the ear.

Before that debacle, Fox found his way over to an isolated table where Skae and her team were eating. He sat across from Skae, immediately feeling a bit self-conscious with the three stone-faced operators staring back at him, seemingly examining his soul for any and all wrongdoings he had ever done in his natural-born life.

"Now's the time you can relax," Skae smiled at him, life showing from her tail.

"Easier said than done," he murmured, referencing the indifferent glares directed his way.

"They're protective," she explained, nudging the giant timber wolf. "Even more so after what happened days ago."

"What happened?" asked Fox.

Skae set her silverware down. "All of our stationed guards here aside from maybe a dozen or so disappeared overnight. We don't know why, but we're lucky we weren't any of them. It gives us a chance."

"Do you know why they disappeared?"

"Hard telling," Skae admitted. "Only thing I know is that they're still alive, and I don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

Fox looked over his shoulder to see Remi still squabbling with the cook behind the counter. "Remi—the young blue vixen I brought with me—told me she could feel something in the area. She's a Cerinian; a race of—"

"We know," interrupted the timber wolf Six. "They're here. Stole our men."

Skae nodded slowly. "That's where I was going to go. Fox, we're almost certain that the guards we had were brainwashed and stolen from us. They're still alive, and we traced their radios out to the Geothermal Power Plant. A day after they disappeared, we lost contact with the Power Plant."

Fox's ears fell. Before he could reply, Remi stomped over and slammed her tray down next to Fox. The operators across from them merely glared back.

"Little prick doesn't know who he's dealing with," grumbled the Cerinian. "Doesn't care about the food I need. That's—"

"Enough," grunted Six.

"Remi?" Skae seemingly asked her for confirmation.

"Yes," the vixen nodded as the rest of Star Fox took seats in Fox's line.

Skae smiled at her. "It's assuring knowing we have a Cerinian on our side."

"Two, actually," Krystal piped in. Every head at the table turned down to see her. Skae breathed a sigh of relief.

"As much as it relieves me you two are here," Skae started, brushing silvery hair behind her shoulders. "It's not going to be any easier. The fact that dozens of our best soldiers fell to these Cerinians makes us prepare for the worst. We won't write off you two as a certain win, as much as I would like to."

"I don't expect you to," Fox added in. "But we'll try to make it easy for everyone here. Can you fill us in on what you know?"

"Gladly," Skae nodded. "Two nights ago is when almost everyone disappeared. A snowstorm blew in the next morning so we didn't go searching. When the Power Plant went unresponsive; we sent a distress signal to Corneria asking for aid before we lost connection; since we didn't know what was happening at the time."

"How did you know there were Cerinians here?" asked Remi.

"Call it hunter's intuition," Skae shrugged. "An informed hunch. We heard about what happened in Naval Bay before we were cut off. If there's people out there that can try to lift an entire city into the sky, surely they can control people's minds too."

"Mind control?" Krystal inquired.

"It's not impossible," Remi reminded her.

"No, I know that," she replied, turning her attention to Skae. "But if the Cerinian here wanted total control, you four wouldn't be here, you know?"

Fox nodded. "She's right. And if Remi is right too, which I'd be stupid to doubt her now, you're right about a Cerinian being here. But… if the Cerinian is planning something big, don't you think he or she wouldn't take any chances and abduct you four regardless of how much you fought?"

Skae simply shrugged. "Must've not needed us."

Falco hummed to himself. "I'm not buyin' that."

"Sorry for playing devil's advocate," continued Fox, "But if they don't need you, why don't they just wipe this place out? It'll only give them more to worry about."

Skae shook her head. "If I knew, Fox, I'd tell you. I don't have all the answers. Hell, I can't even tell if any of my assumptions are true. The one thing I know is that there's someone at the Power Plant that doesn't belong, and if we wait too long, that Power Plant will be destroyed, and nobody here will live to tell the story."

Fox nodded in understanding. "So what's the plan of attack, Skae?"

The wolf intertwined her hands. "We go out and fight back."

"I coulda told ya that," Falco flung his winds up.

"My operators and I can do a lot together, but we needed you," Skae continued. "Listen; the Power Plant is built on the north pole to get the most electromagnetic energy it possibly can. That power is distributed to the outposts all around Fichina. The Cerinians must want that power for something, and I don't care what for, just so long as we don't let them have it."

"Tomorrow we begin," the avian operator Five responded. "Daylight marks mission start."

Skae nodded in confirmation. "Get as much rest as you can tonight, okay? We need everyone at 100%; the road to the Power Plant isn't easy, and with most of our resources gone, we'll have to walk it. It'll be a good day journey in numbing cold, but it's not the end of the world. Cuddle up close tonight because you won't be warm for a while."

Fara needed no more explanation, opting to scoot closer to Fox and nuzzle into the fold of his arm. Krystal merely did the same to Falco on the other side, subtly hoping Fox would see it.

"Fox, when you're done here, I'd like to have a talk in private, okay?" Skae asked. Falco couldn't hold his chuckle to himself. "It's nothing bad, just talking tactics."

" _Tactics_ ," Falco echoed unconvincingly.

"She must already know you're not the most _tactically_ _inclined_ ," teased Fox.

"Tactics're outdated," commented the avian.

"I'd like to hear you say that tomorrow when we're staring death in the face," Skae remarked.

"You must not know what I've done to get where I am now," Falco explained confidently.

"Out here, credentials don't mean a thing," she answered. "Instincts and intelligence do, and as much as you want to tell me otherwise, you need to prove to me that you have both to spare tomorrow."

Falco quickly glanced over to Krystal, returned his focus, and nodded. "Don't worry about me."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

"I can't lose another one," Remi repeated softly, shivering as the words left her mouth. "That's the last thing I heard before I woke up."

Krystal just looked on in silence, not necessarily confused, but more intrigued than anything. The young vixen's gently shaking frame rose more alarms than what she spoke, so she peeled the covers off her bed and draped them across Remi's shoulders. Remi tucked inside them in reply.

"The voice… sounded familiar," she explained, sitting back down on the bed. "I felt like I… I knew him… or her… I couldn't tell."

"This person thought you were important," Krystal breathed. "Why?"

"Krystal, almost everyone I knew thought I was important," she explained. "I'm not the same as you or anyone else. This person knew I had something… But I don't think anyone knew aside from me."

"That doesn't make any sense," Krystal shook her head. "How did that person know then?"

"That's what I want to figure out," sighed Remi. "I swear on my life I never told anyone."

"Are you sure you… maybe didn't _forget_?" Krystal suggested timidly. "I mean, your memory—"

"I wouldn't forget something so important."

"I never said you would. Maybe you didn't have a choice."

Remi huffed in frustration. "Listen, by choice or not, something that important to my safety and wellbeing wouldn't be lost. I never said anything to anyone."

"But what if you're wrong?"

Remi just glared at her.

"I'm not trying to be mean or badger you," Krystal emphasized. "I just want to figure out the truth before something goes horribly wrong. I want to help."

"I don't suppose you think I'm stupid for letting something so important slip my mind?"

"I never said that. Remi, I don't know how your mind works. The only one that would know for sure is you. That being said, you told me the day we met that you've forgotten much of Cerinia. You couldn't tell me much about it. Wouldn't that be important too?"

Remi paused for a moment. "It's different."

"Different how?" the elder Cerinian's jaw hung. "Remi, Cerinia is a part of you. It's a part of me. We don't forget these things willingly. This is important to us and you know it."

The other vixen didn't reply.

"Maybe you did tell someone, and that memory is gone," Krystal spoke gently, trying to ease the tangible conflicted aura Remi basked in. "I don't fault you for it, much like I don't fault either of us for not remembering our homes, our families… Forgetting something so important to us might be out of our control."

Krystal sighed and cupped Remi's paw in her own. "Maybe it will come back to you; who knows? Right now, we can't dwell on a past we don't know anything about. We can only work to erase that past completely."

Remi looked down. "I hate not knowing more than anything."

Krystal tried to crack a warm grin to cheer her up. "Well, that's why we're here." Even with that, she could still feel Remi's hesitance. She didn't want to discount it and think about it for later, and she couldn't blame her for it. Something that confusing and that pressing can't be suppressed so easily. Krystal still did her best to calm Remi's nerves as the rest of the team filed into their room.

Fox returned with a page out of a notebook that he set on the room's only desk. "How do you guys feel about walking fifteen miles in a snowstorm?"

"I'd rather hold a knife to my eye and sneeze," deadpanned Remi.

"Well good, because we're not doing that. How about riding up fourteen miles and walking one?"

"Change the knife to a plastic fork."

"And how about new weapons?"

"Plastic spoon."

"What can I do to get you _not_ to sneeze?"

"Well there's some good allergy medicine I always get—"

Fox cut her off with a palm to his own face. "Anyway… Skae told me that the Power Plant that we're going to has sensors that will trip of any of their vehicles come within a mile of the station. Luckily it's only a mile; could be worse."

"So what're we doin' there?" Falco asked, claiming one of the beds as his territory.

"We have good reason to believe the mind control theories," Fox explained. "Because of that, they're prepared to fight back against anyone there that might fight us. According to her, their soldiers are considered lost. Basically, we go in and clear house; take that place back before anything happens to it."

"And what do you mean by new weapons?" asked a concernedly overly-curious Remi.

"Skae told me that the Power Plant is close to the Geothermal Climate Control Center. That center uses the magnetic field of Fichina to alter the climate. That filed doesn't react well to the charged energy our usual weapons use, so it's back to the good ol kinetics; powder and bullets."

"Now I see why Beltino left it off the docket," Falco hummed to himself.

"They have enough to go around, but we'll sort everything out tomorrow. Right now it's curfew, and they told me it gets cold when curfew starts."

Fara took that as incentive to huddle up to Fox as they took the bottom bunk opposite to Falco. Remi tried her best to sneak in with them, but was ultimately sent up to the top bunk above them. Krystal turned off the lights and was just about to scale the ladder to get above Falco when he poked at her arm.

"Grab the blanket up there."

Krystal cocked an ear. "Why?"

"I've got an idea if you're okay with it."

"Okay with what?"

"Do you want to be cold up there or warm down 'ere?"

The vixen didn't think twice, opting to snicker when she started to pull the blanket down with her. "Smooth."

"I wasn't intendin' to be," he chuckled. "Just thought it'd be a smart idea, ya know?"

"You can play it off all you want," she shot back, tossing the blanket at him. "I know how you are."

"Listen, if there was somethin' between us, I'd've said it already," Falco honestly replied, keeping his voice down. "I just don't want ya to be cold up there 'cuz ol' Big Ears stole who you really should be keepin' warm with."

Krystal's playful banter diminished. "Oh," she breathed. "I'm sorry, I—"

"Ay, you ain't got nothin' to be sorry for, blueness," he interrupted. "Now hurry up, I ain't the only one that needs to warm up."

Krystal let a tiny grin slip. "Well… I guess I should say thank you," she awkwardly sat on the edge of his bed before a wing grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in, opting to skip the "toes-in-the-water" part and go straight to dunking her head in the pool.

"You're welcome," he laughed to himself, "Hope y'ain't shy."

Krystal's blushing face didn't answer him as much as she wanted to fight back. Even so, she came to the quick realization that it was indeed significantly warmer down here. As awkward as it was, she had to admit it was pretty nice. Falco's soft, warm arms snaked around her, tenderly holding her close to keep the warmth strong and lively. His gentle breathing and slow heartbeat kept her calm given the circumstances.

She hated how much she enjoyed this.


	11. 2 — Tactical Nuke–

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 2 []**

 ** _Separating Bad Courtesy_**

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 11**

 _Tactical Nuke by the Acacia Strain but Every Time the Tempo Drops Remi Complains_

 **Ξ**

 _ **A/N: Listen... I don't wanna talk about how long this took me. TL;DR - horrible writers block and a very bad case of broken confidence. I had a tough time writing anything for months. Hopefully this marks the start of that being turned around. Thank you for your patience, and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. :)**_

 _ **-Sheppard**_

* * *

 _ ** **Ξ****_

* * *

The armory sat on the other side of the tiny worker's town's residence hall which had been obstructed from Fox's view when he looked around the first time. Inside said building was a hangar bay outfitted with numerous vehicles equipped to conquer the harsh terrain outside, and a locker room that held most of the fun toys the Star Fox team got to play with.

Fox and company arrived just as Skae and her task force finished up. All four wore a sort of heather gray full-body snowsuit, a darker vest overtop, a near white helmet with tinted goggles resting atop them, and the same canine teeth insignia branded on their facemasks. As for their kits, it became apparent that they were preparing for war.

Skae was outfitted with a presumably automatic rifle and a weapon that looked like a combination of a grenade launcher and a bullpup which Fox honestly didn't know what it did. All he knew was that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. The huge timber wolf Six donned two similar auto rifles—one of which was smaller than the other—as well as a comedically large sledgehammer strapped across his back. The avian Five held a small carbine, a handgun or two strapped to his legs, and a shield about twice his width hanging from his back as if he were imitating a turtle. Seven the arctic fox held a small submachine gun in one hand, with a backpack nearly overflowing with gear. Remotes, devices, and other electronic equipment dotted the vulpine's vest as if he were a traveling Video Shed. Don't talk to me about my Lylatian knock-off brands.

"Hold up," Falco's beak slithered atop Fox's shoulder. "We're about to witness the drop of the most fire mixtape in decades."

"Falco I swear to—"

"Multi-Platinum certification inbound."

"Falco…"

"How many endorsements do you think they'll—"

"Okay, that's enough," Fox shoved his beak away and stepped forward towards Skae, who gestured to the shelves and cases around them.

"Hope you're ready for a fight," Skae smiled weakly once she pulled her mask down.

"I'd rather it not be," Fox commented.

"He's in the minority," Falco jumped in. "Bring on the fight!" Fox pushed his beak away yet again.

"I don't want it to be a fight either," Skae breathed. "Those are our men out there. But, we're prepared for a fight if it comes down to it."

The wolfess stepped away from her team, revealing an arms rack with dozens of kinetic rifles long to have thought to be outdated and obsolete. "Your team can take anything here. Just be sure not to take too much that you can't carry halfway down. It'll be a long journey."

Falco and Remi needed no second invitation. As soon as Skae and her team exited, two of the three blue members bolted towards the arsenal and shopped around the selection.

"Hey Fox, check this one out," said Remi, pulling a rifle off the rack and pointing it at the vulpine, who immediately blew his eyes out of their sockets and dropped flat on the floor as if his bones vaporized. Remi just yipped, "Heck's sake, it's not even loaded!"

"I wouldn't even trust you with a water gun," Fox spoke into the floor. Falco rolled his eyes and grabbed Fox by the scruff of his neck, yanking him to his feet. The vulpine brushed himself off and let his team get first dibs on the weaponry.

"All of these are kinda heavy," Remi remarked, setting the murder weapon back on its hook.

"Well when you weigh less than my normal lunch, anything can seem heavy," Falco chirped.

Fara's head cocked. "What's gotten into you?" she asked rather honestly, though it did come off as snooty and disgusted.

"He's just excited," Fox replied, tone and expression not matching up with one another. "He gets this way whenever he smells a battle." Falco appeared ready to defend his case but a damming glare from the vulpine silenced him.

"Oh," Fara breathed. "Typical. Shouldn't have expected anything else."

"I'm fine, thank you," Falco almost scoffed but held it back to prevent escalation, citing Fox's intense stare. "Let's go guys, we have places to be." Fox took note of Falco's attempted leadership and shoved it in the back of his mind, but in the meantime just nodded and went on with gearing up.

As Skae said, Fox and company kept light with their gear; not taking more than they could carry but still making sure they weren't underequipped. It was a little odd seeing Remi and Krystal don the dark tactical gear, but was oddly captivating at the same time. What little blue fur stayed unconcealed by the thermal gear popped against the heather gear. Their piercing irises held a lifetime of experiences Fox could only imagine for himself, up until he caught those irises staring back at him.

Remi jumped on the opportunity. "Like what you see?" she purred, pulling down her facemask to lick her chops.

Fox opened his mouth to respond, but a fennec butted in front of him. "I'd appreciate you not saying things like that to my boyfriend."

Remi audibly laughed. "I don't give a heck that he's your boyfriend; anyone _that_ good looking is fair game."

Fara huffed. "Okay, let me rephrase: _Don't_ say things like that to my boyfriend."

Remi's shoulders slumped. "Oh come on; he's such a stud though."

"I can't say you're wrong, but that…" Fara's eyes narrowed. "Wait… how do you know that?"

Fox slowly and stealthily backed away, almost silently murmuring, "Ohh, I'm uncomfortable…"

The Cerinian just blinked a few times. "Just look at him," she pointed to the auburn vulpine, stopping him dead in his tracks. "He's a hunk."

Fara frowned as she looked back at Fox, who just gave her an admittedly nervous smile. She shook her head. "Yeah, he is. But that doesn't justify you hitting on him. He's mine, got it?"

Remi just giggled and shrugged. "I dunno about that," she cooed, laughing as she picked up her weapon and skipped out of the armory. Fox's eyes never left the gun in her hands.

"Creep," Fara grunted, wiping the disgust off her face as she turned to Fox. "Whatever. Soon as we do our job here, the sooner we can dump that weirdo and get back to business."

Fox just absently nodded his head along.

Krystal, meanwhile, escaped the tense engagement and met back up with Falco and Skae's team. They were greeted with a garage full of sleek vehicles equipped with bright headlights and dense treads that look like they could cross an ocean if they were given the chance.

"Luckily we have enough," Skae finished her statement. "I don't mind who drives, just so long as you can keep up with me. I want to be in and out as quick as you guys do, so I won't be wasting time."

Krystal wandered up to Falco and brushed against him. The avian took the indication and let out a humorous sharp exhale. "You just want an excuse to hug," he chuckled.

The vixen said a quick thank you to whoever told her to keep her face covered up, otherwise Falco would see how bad her face was burning up. Nevertheless, she stayed silent and just nodded along.

"Well good. Better than havin' the _other_ blue one behind me gropin' me."

Krystal giggled. "I won't do that," she assured lightheartedly.

Falco just laughed along. "Here, hold still for a sec," He gingerly turned the vixen to face him so that he could adjust her gear for her. It wasn't anything bad, just a gentle readjustment of the mask along her muzzle and the protective headgear over her ears. "There. Feel a little better."

"Yeah," she answered softly. "Thank you."

"Anytime, blueness," the avian replied.

Skae took a few awkward steps into frame. "I hate to break up the moment, but I need to do a scene change."

"Huh?" Falco's curious noise answered. "A _what_?"

"A scene change," the wolfess repeated. "We gotta get going, so to make it a little easier I was just gonna skip ahead a little bit. That fine with you guys?"

Falco glanced at Krystal, then shrugged. "Sure."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

A bitterly cold wonderland encapsulated by perpetual twilight, nearly obscured with blowing snow and overcast… Yeah, this scene would be much more breathtaking had the stakes not been so dire. Tension hung over the air as thick as the storm of flurries enveloping their convoy as they barreled through the snowy terrain; an end goal in sight but the means of how to get there still up in the air.

Astronomers often hypothesized that Fichina was a lost comet captured by Lylat before life flourished in the system. A very large, very uniform comet. Or maybe a lost moon? Either way, it's icy composition and rocky terrain only seemed to back up this claim. But, to disprove it, Fichina assimilated with a normal orbit almost effortlessly had it been a captured comet or otherwise; and its atmosphere—while normal with a celestial being as massive as it is and with its relative proximity to Lylat—matched that of most other Lylatian planets. Still, while shrouded in arguments of its validity, Fichina undeniably had one thing.

Water.

Water which was frozen and powdered all over cliffs and jagged passes made of more frozen water. See, water is what usually brings life, but here, water was used in every sort of state to kill anyone who tried to get in its way. Frozen water moved and molded this terrain for that distinct purpose: to act as a gauntlet for those brave to travel through it. In some places, more ice built up like hills, eventually peaking as mountains due to more water churning and cracking the land. Think of a desert of snow, with rivers of ice carving scratches across the snowball as if the ice was clawing and reaching for help. Even the ice didn't want to live on this Lylatian mystery ball.

Canyons and trenches deep and shallow scarred the icy terrain, cutting gashes between mountains and cliffs. In these topless caverns, the wind ripped through the pathways; acting as lifeblood to the arteries of an otherwise lifeless planet. Wind so powerful and volatile even the walls of the canyons buckled and molded to its will. There was a distinct difference between the trenches that has been formed long ago, and the more recent ones that form when the mountains of ice become too large and start to split apart from one another. Older paths were wide and not as dangerous to travel through, while the newer ones burst with that windy lifeblood ripping the rest of the pathway open like a fresh wound.

While the planet remained rather dark because of its lack of proximity to the rest of the system, what light did reach the surface of the planet and amplified off of the snow and ice to make it seem like the ice had a glow to it. An alluring, mesmerizing glow that proved to be the only way of distinguishing the terrain on a normal day; the glow acting as a sort of runway lights to guide the plane to safety. The only way to find out if you were about to careen off a cliff into another ancient scar on the rogue comet's surface was if that glow seemed to fade or dissipate in any way; whether it be from the blowing snow towards the surface that obscured the glow more often than not, or the drastic altitude change that altered the intensity of that guiding light.

Long story short, Fichina was not fun. Fox came to that conclusion faster than the astronomers still trying to figure out what this cold wasteland should be classified under. Even when wearing the top-of-the-line thermal gear to keep every little bit of him as warm as possible, the Fichinian climate cut through his gear and made him shiver in his boots. Long gone were the days of the Papetoonian desert or the tropical Aquan getaways. This was war against the elements. See, when even the planet is actively fighting itself because of how tough the climate is, imagine how rough it is for people who want to explore.

Fox had to admire how deceptively deadly everything appeared. Well, admiration in a sort of photogenic way. The flurries turned into streaks of hyperspace in his visor, whizzing by in a blur on the back of snowmobiles that cut through snow like butter. The creases and textures of the cliff faces on either side of him blurred into a hangar wall like scene; just him and his team running down the corridors to get to their Arwings again. Even while his visor dulled everything and tinted it a sickly shade of orange, the vulpine still eyed his surroundings. Distant mountains poking above the deep caverns melded together with closer ones in the way that hand-drawn movies simulate a great distance when moving on a train. The snow added depth to the artwork in the form of a thick mist enveloping most of said distant mountains so that all that was visible was the snow-covered peaks. They were almost as common as trees; a forest of mountains big and small off in the distance, glowing at varying intensities.

The elevation changed erratically as their journey continued. Often times the vehicles would be scaling a hill only for it to steeply drop off into a valley; rinse and repeat. Skae, a master of navigation around these parts, lead the way as she cut around rock formations and the occasional frozen foliage, almost always staying within the boundaries of the comet's scars. Fox, Falco, Five, and Six piloted their crafts behind her, with Fara, Krystal, Remi, and Seven riding with their respective pilots.

Skae stared to slow down after a little while, and a little while longer she came to a stop, with the other drivers following suit. The wolfess turned her vehicle off and stepped off, prompting the rest of the team to follow suit.

"This is where we need to walk it," Skae began, glancing up at the bowl of rocks and cliffs enveloping their space. There was a breakoff between a bunch of wide and narrow caverns alike; each one whistling loudly as the bitter wind barreled through. She looked at one of them, distinguished with a rather large gash on the right side of the opening; obviously a manmade marking. "Follow me."

"Heck, we're not there yet?" Remi huffed. "I'm cold. And my tail doesn't like being bundled up."

"Hey, would you rather lose it or deal with discomfort?" Skae asked.

Remi answered, "I mean, I'm already dealing with discomfort, so I guess I'll stay at that."

"Good," Skae would have smiled but her gear obstructed it.

The snow around here was very packed down and dense, so walking on it felt like walking in a grassy yard or on rubber. The bitter wind whipped drifts of snow like snakes beneath the icy surface, pointed directly where they needed to go according to Skae. The couldn't be quick on their feet, but it certainly wasn't navigating through ten feet of snow like how their ancestors used to commute to school on a normal winter day. _Heyo!_

The spring in Remi's step began to sulk as time went on. "Listen, I like cold weather as much as the next guy… but this is stupid."

"Agreed," Fara added.

"And it says a lot when Big Ears and I agree on something."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Remi laughed. "That's ironic."

"Okay, let's put a stop to that," Fox interjected.

Remi sighed. "Sorry, I'm just cold."

"We all are," Falco chirped.

"But it's not that far away," Fox insisted. "In the meantime, we need to stay focused and—"

"But I'm _really_ cold," Remi interjected.

Fox breathed, "I know," exasperated by the current situation.

"And I'm hungry."

"I know."

"And this gun is heavy."

"I—"

"So who would want to live here anyway?"

Skae spun around and started to walk backwards. "It's not ideal," she started off optimistically. She would have been smiling had the protective gear not obscured it. "Fichina is actually a great water exporter. The ice here is clean, and Corneria uses it for drinking water instead of trying to clean their water there."

Remi shrugged her head. "Smart."

"Debatable," Skae rebuked. "But understandable. It's a lucrative industry so people hire mercs like myself and my team to protect this place; y'know, keep the power plant going, protect shuttles, that sort of thing. Plus, living here has its benefits. Nonexistent taxes being one, but the cost of living is a little high so it's almost a one-to-one trade-off."

"Fox, I'm being bored by economics," Remi groaned over her shoulder.

"Hey, I gotta talk about _something_ ," Skae emphasized. "We're still a while from the base."

"We can talk about how little I got to eat," grumbled an irritated Remi. "Do you realize how many calories I need to take in to be able to function right?"

"Can't be any worse than the rest of us," commented Six, gruff voice refusing to be muffled by his facemask.

"You'd be mistaken," the young vixen continued. "My body burns through energy so that my skills can stay sharp. I hope you guys planned on me not being one hundred percent if that's all the food I get for today."

Falco then chirped, "Y'know, Slippy never complained as much as you do."

"He probably eats as much as I normally do so he'd be whining with me."

Skae cleared her throat. "Can we put a pause on this? We gotta change scenes really quick."

Remi huffed. "Fine."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

They approached a rather steep cliff in their trek, one that looked dangerous to traverse. It almost looked like a few terrain scars converged on the same point, creating a deeper gash within their current pathway. Even so, with no viable alternative, Skae started her descent. Her boots let her gingerly climb down the incline without losing her footing, while an open hand dragged along the side of the cliff to keep her from going too fast. And, being as she's probably done this a dozen times over, she learned to get good at this sort of thing. Fox, Falco, and the others had to resort to clipping tethers to the side of the trench and slide down that way.

While the girls waited for their turn, the white avian Five walked behind them and gave them all a nudge. "C'mere," he urged, tugging on Krystal's sleeve. Fara and Remi followed the soldier as he stepped away from the descending point. Peering down the steep incline, Five set down his shield and pushed it into the snow a little bit, packing the snow down around it. He stepped around to the front of his shield, sat down, crossed his legs, and would have smiled had his mask not gotten in the way. He craned his head over to the three. "Get on and hold on."

"Are we going sledding?" Fara asked excitedly.

"Captain Rhen never said to not have fun; she just said to follow our rules," Five shrugged, holding out an arm. Fara slipped in behind him, snaking her arms around his waist in preparation. "Scared, you two?"

"Heck no," Remi shook her head as she slotted up next to them. Krystal slipped into the available space on Five's shield as they all clung onto one another. Five forced the shield more and more towards the point of no return until they plunged down the hill, kicking up a literal tidal wave of snow as the makeshift sled barreled down the incline.

Falco audibly scoffed. "Ey, that ain't fair!"

The four of them were laughing by the time they got down to the bottom of the hill, making even more headway because of their momentum. They had to wait for Skae and the rest of the team to catch up to them before they resumed their walk.

"I knew that shield had another use," Remi yipped from within the convoy.

"Yeah, because deflecting lethal projectiles was an optional intention," Fox chimed in.

Remi turned a covered, expressionless shell known as her face back at the vulpine. "Hey, I heard that."

"Just trying to crack a joke," defended Fox.

"I hate to kill your jokes," interrupted Skae. "But we gotta change scenes again. Hold that thought."

"Alright," Fox nodded.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Remi slowed down and began to look around. The incline of the trench seemed steeper and higher up, meaning they were in a particularly deep artery on the planet. Still, the vixen's curiosity amplified her senses. The glow in the snow seemed to be getting brighter, since the overcast above was starting to lighten up. She could feel the magnetic field of the planet grow stronger and stronger with each step forward.

"We're close," Skae seemed to take the words right out of the Cerinian's mouth.

"I can feel it," Remi added, gloved fingers reaching out to touch the scarred, icy walls. "Thank the gods."

Skae suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked to her right. "Here," she said, twisting her foot to walk over to the wall of the cliff. There was another walkway carved into the ice, sharply sloping upwards towards the top of the trench. Skae began to climb the hill, urging the rest of them to follow.

"Oh great, a shortcut," Remi breathed. "Why don't you just change scenes so that we're there?"

"Keep your voice down," urged Six.

Once they cleared the crest of the hill, a harsh cliff stopped them in their tracks. The cliff fell into a basin where an explosion of light enveloped the sky above a giant obelisk jutting from the center of a hexagonal base. Two entry gates signified by tall protrusions from the perimeter were visibly damaged, even from the distance they were at. Opaque smoke rolled from the far entry point, which dissipated almost instantly upon hitting the cold air. The lights around the base were eerily dark, as if the place hadn't been activated yet. In fact, the base looked as though it was just… closed for the night.

Captivating the attention of the team were the magnetic lights above the base. Greens, reds, and blues danced in the black sky above the obelisk, swirling and waving as if the harsh winds were blowing them around. The overcast blanket above created a portal to the heavens above the base, acting as a sort of boundary for these lights to dance within. The northern lights here were far brighter than anything seen on Corneria, which Fox could attest to. He was simply mesmerized by the intensity and beauty of these lights which were seemingly being swallowed by the tip of the piercing obelisk.

"The Geothermal Center," Skae breathed. "Technology harnessing the power of the magnetic field to warm the entire planet and keep it habitable. These lights are some of the most intense magnetic lights in the galaxy…"

The waves of color seemed to acknowledge Skae's comment and intensify, spiraling from the obelisk and releasing another wave of fierce color. This time a deep red glow dominated, casting a translucent crimson shadow atop the glow of the white snow. Krystal stared in total awe, unsure what to make of this phenomenon but understanding its acute beauty and scope. She's never seen anything like this. Nothing this vibrant and exceptional.

"Admire it for now," Skae remarked as the lights returned to a green-dominant hue. "If they turn that machine off, this planet could freeze over in an instant. We need to get to the Power Plant before they destroy it."

Skae led her team along with Star Fox to the right of the overlooking cliff to continue the journey. Krystal, however, didn't want to take her eyes off the lights. There was something so captivating about them… like the lights wanted to speak but didn't know how. So vibrant and so volatile, they were.

"Krys?"

The vixen turned to see Falco.

"You okay?"

"Oh… yeah," she replied. "Sorry, I just… they're so beautiful."

Falco looked over at the lights for another moment or two. "Eh…" he shrugged his shoulders. "I've seen somethin' better."

"Something better that that?" she pointed at the lights as Falco walked past her. She started walking to catch up with him while keeping her attention on the lights. She nudged him in the back to get his attention again. "Come on, you can't be serious."

"I mean, it's nice and all," Falco shrugged again. "Not the best."

"What's the best then?"

"I ain't tellin'," the bird grunted.

"You've _got_ to tell me," insisted Krystal.

"After this mission, okay?"

"Deal."

Falco nodded and continued his walk. Krystal trailed behind him to stay out of the wind, staying within an arm's reach of his overcoat just in case. Still, her focus remained on the lights as she idly stepped in line with the convoy.

The basin the base was situated within appeared to be the result of a meteor strike long ago, evident with even more fractured canyons stemming from the crater like rivers flowing out of a mountain spring. One particularly massive canyon spanned outwards in the direction Skae took the team. This canyon was almost as wide and as deep as the crater, implying there was another strike not too far away from it that simply created a fissure in the rock. This claim was backed up as Krystal peered into the canyon to see a much darker rock formation at the bottom that didn't want to collect any snowfall.

As a matter of fact, the elements didn't seem as harsh up towards the northernmost point of the planet. The wind, while still bitterly cold, did not threaten to take anyone off their feet. The snowfall was only blankets of flakes blown off of nearby hills and cliffs; nothing new. However, the temperature was decidedly colder despite the wind not assisting it.

There was a rather straightforward and simple pathway that ran alongside the ridge of the massive fissure. The ridge itself kicked up a bit and acted as a bit of a guardrail along the canyon, while the ripples of the fissure kicked up a rather steep mountain on the other side. While it wasn't necessarily another one of Fichina's scars, it did serve the purpose as the others did in getting the team to where they needed to be.

"This wind is killing me," Remi remarked. "How close are we?"

"The Power Plant is close to the Geothermal Center," Skae replied.

"How close? What's the scale of _close_ in this situation?"

"Close," Skae reiterated.

"That doesn't help me."

"It wasn't supposed to."

"Can't you just do another scene change to put us down there?"

Skae paused. "Hey, that's not a bad idea."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Fox and Skae both stopped a bit before the entrance. Much like the Control Center earlier, the Fichinian Power Plant's hexagonal shape was it's most prominent feature. The structure sat low to the ground, maybe only one or two stories tall, but it made up for it in sheer surface area as it almost completely encased the basin it resided in. From the top of the cliff, the base clearly had massive vents atop its roof; steam and smoke pouring out of them only to dissipate in the cold wind. The dark steel had a frozen texture aside from non-uniform circles encasing the vents on top. Clearly Cornerian engineering and construction, but it felt foreign seeing it in such a location.

Skae and her team drew their supplies, with Seven stepping ahead with a device in his hands; a rotary drone with a few sensors and a camera attached. He set it down and backed away, letting the drone spring into the air and buzz around with the fox controlling it.

"Okay," Skae started, inching closer to the steel entrance. "Fox, Falco, Fara, and Six will break off as one unit. Krystal, Five, and Seven will go as another. Remi, you're with me. I want Six's team to go up the front and into the generator room in the center. Five's group will infiltrate the side and into the control room. Remi will come with me to see if we can locate the Cerinian. Clear?"

Fox blinked. "That was… infinitely quicker than any briefing and strategy call I've ever been a part of."

Skae giggled as she pulled her mask and goggles away. "I don't wanna waste any time getting this job done. Seven; if you can, turn the generators on as soon as possible. If something is wrong, tell Fox or anyone in that team and they'll try to help. Remi and I can and will help anyone if it's an emergency. All clear?"

Everyone nodded in affirmation.

Falco gave Fox a nudge. "Partners again, I take it."

"My favorite," Fox chuckled back.

"It's my dream to be with a bunch of brutes," Fara flicked her head around. "At least I know where the fun will be."

Skae smiled, then nodded at Remi. "You're with me. I know a place where we get in. You can lead me?"

"Chances are they already know we're here," Remi admitted. "They can feel our presence just as much as I can feel theirs. I can lead you to where they are, but it's best to get the power back online first."

Skae nodded again. "Okay. Follow me." Those two ran off to the right side, disappearing around the corner.

Five removed the shield from his back. "Alright girls, you're with me. Stay close, alright?"

Seven pulled his goggles up to give a confused look at the white avian.

"Yeah I know what I said," added Five.

"So what's the shield do?" asked Fara.

Five pulled it up by his arm. "Deflects shots and keeps us safe. Plus I can take pictures." Without warning, a panel on the top of the shield opened and instantly flashed, causing Krystal and Fara to stumble backwards with hands over their faces. "Oh, yeah, probably not a good idea."

Fox growled. "Can you not flash my girlfriend?"

"My apologies."

Seven put away his controller. "There's an open ventilation shaft around the back," he said sternly. "We should go."

"Hey, Seven?" Fox stopped him before he could run off. "Just a quick question. Is your name Vince?"

The fox seemed to be taken by surprise by the question, but merely looked away. "I don't know who that is."

Fox pursed his lips. "Oh. You just seem to act like an old friend of mine."

"Coincidence," deadpanned Seven, wasting no time in catching up with Five and Krystal.

Six growled as he brandished his hammer. "You three _mercenaries_ better stay outta my way when I have this out," he warned, approaching the locked metal blast doors. He didn't wait any further as he wound up and bashed the weapon against the doors, poking a hole into the base.

Another swing broke down half of the door, allowing himself and the others to slip into the base.


	12. 2 — A Self-Portrait–

**Ξ**

 **[] Arc 2 []**

 ** _Separating Bad Courtesy_**

 **Ξ**

 **Chapter 12**

 _A Self-Portrait of the Squadron Leader as a Fucking Asshole, Enhanced & Colorized_

 **Ξ**

 ** _A/N: And now… back to your regularly scheduled program._**

* * *

 ** _Ξ_**

* * *

A drift of powdery snow followed the team of four between the demolished set of main doors, but was soon lost within the dark confides of the steel enclosure. The ominous whistling from the blizzard outside masked the steps of the team's boots, however it seemed as though stealth was negligible after their unceremonious entrance. Nevertheless, Fox and Falco allowed Six to lead the way given his experience in this environment, with Fara turning her back against Fox to closely watch the entrance behind them. Her left hand was clasped around Fox's wrist as the latter vulpine guided her into the unknown.

"It's too dark in 'ere," complained Falco. "I can 'ardly see."

"It's somehow colder inside too," Fara added.

A lightbulb flashed in Fox's head. "Here, I think I can help with both of your issues," he remarked, bravely removing the glove from his right paw. With an exhale to focus, he embraced the weird energy floating about his mind palace as his quickly numbing fingertips started to feel warm. Within a second or two, dust swirled in the hold of his open palm before igniting; a flash of heat and light soon simmering to a proper ember above Fox's hand.

Falco immediately squawked and doubled backwards, nearly conking his head against the cold steel walls. "What in the hell is—"

"WITCH!" Six boomed before taking a wild hammer swing towards Fox's head. Fox instinctively flinched and held his hands up to block the swing, not knowing that his blazing hands launched a wave of fire in defense. The hammer bludgeoned the heat wave and stopped the weapon in its tracks, but at the cost of flinging it away at twice the speed. The whiplash made Six loose his grip as the hammer imbedded itself in the wall, creating a dent in the metal plate half a meter deep right where Falco's head rested moments prior.

The motionless trio just stared at Fox as he tentatively opened his eyes and let his hands retreat. The ember coating them fizzled out in a steady stream of smoke, whisked away by the blizzard outside.

"Fox?" Falco raised his arms in a defensive posture. "Why'd yer 'ands catch fire?"

"You better not've damaged my hammer," grunted Six, yanking the tool free of the wall.

Fox took a moment to better word his situation. "Remi taught me."

"Wait," Fara interjected. "That meditation session you told me about. Is that it?"

"Yeah," Fox nodded, brilliantly masking the true origins of his power. "Cerinians have this link to something that grants them this weird power if they can wield it. Apparently I was able to."

"Can…" Falco stepped forward. "Can you do anythin' else?"

"She hasn't taught me," Fox admitted. "I kinda got used to the whole… _fire_ thing. But that's all I know right now."

Six simply growled.

Fara gave Fox a nudge. "Well, don't just stand there; use it!"

"Alright, just… don't freak out again," Fox pleaded as he gingerly reached out again. Just as before, he took a few moments to centralize the energy and funnel it to his hands. His outstretched right hand ignited soon after, allowing a comfortable blaze to light the way before them. Fox chuckled proudly as Fara's curious eyes stared at the fire.

Falco huffed. "That's creepy."

"Yeah, yeah, you're just jealous," Fox teased, taking the lead further down the corridor. Deeper inside, multiple thick blast doors acting as temperature airlocks were either cut open, sitting ajar, or simply opened completely. Fox counted four or five of these airlocks before he stepped into the main atrium of the facility. There, a massive open-air lobby housed a central spiral staircase branching off into half a dozen wings amongst four separate floors. The futuristic building style allowed for an unobstructed view of the wings' specific features. The main wing, identified with a sealed blast door, housed the main generator room. Their weapons' flashlights did little to uncover the scope of their environment.

Fox led his team around the staircase, admiring the construction of the facility—if only briefly—before approaching the sealed doors. He looked back at Six, who shook his head before the vulpine could say anything.

"These doors are sealed," Six said bluntly. "I can't open them."

Fara scoffed. "Well, then what'd you bring that giant hammer for?"

"Not even _my_ hammer will break through a sealed steel blast door over a meter thick," Six commented as if it was plainly obvious.

"Not with that attitude!"

Six rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on!" Fara flung her arms down. "There's gotta be a way to open them, right? I mean, we _need_ to get behind those doors!"

"Power's cut across the compound," said Six, scanning the entryways of the separate wings. "These doors won't budge without power."

"Well, then who's on power duty?"

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

A near silent chime sounded when Seven pressed a tiny electronic box against the keycard receiver outside the side entrance. He pocketed the device and stood close to Krystal, who in turn was huddled behind Five's shield. The avian operator tapped a button on his shield's handle, flicking out a hook on the opposite side which he snaked behind the door's handle. Carefully, Five yanked backwards and pulled the door open, causing a rush of snow to flood the inside. Five then stepped forwards, mindfully keeping Krystal and Seven under his protection. Once inside, Seven quickly resealed the door.

Another button was snapped on Five's shield, activating an ambient glow on the outside edges acting as a guiding lantern. Inside, snowdrifts pooled in the sections between metal panels, which were iced over and heavily worn. Cautiously, Five crouched down and stepped forward with his protective shield poised and hovering above the ground, urging the other two to replicate his movements. While inching forward, Seven scavenged through his supplies to find another tiny device.

"There's no power leaving the generator," Seven whispered, holding the device high. "No electrical currents anywhere, nor any leaving the building. We need to act fast."

"Where's the control room?" asked Krystal.

"That way," Seven pointed over the shield towards an offshoot corridor. Five took them that direction before coming to another sealed door. Before the fox used his earlier keycard hacker, he asked Krystal, "Is there anyone on the other side?"

Krystal thought for a moment, but eventually shook her head. "No, I don't sense anyone."

Seven nodded and unlocked the door. Like before, Five used his shield to peel the door open, then stepped inside. A maze of corridors and office rooms greeted them, all looking completely deserted. Glass panes were frosted over, doors hung ajar, and scattered paper, wires, and other objects were strewn about the floor, definitely indicating some sort of skirmish for possession of these office rooms. The way that cabinets and drawers were ripped open, along with flipped furniture and ripped pages made it seem like the attackers were looking for something. Still, Five took no chances with the quiet rooms and remained close to the ground, ensuring his protective shield stood in the way between them and their potential enemies.

Seven tapped on Five's shoulder with a balled paw, stopping him. "I'm detecting personal equipment online," he said. "Krystal, I thought you said there wasn't anyone here."

Krystal stammered. "I-I can't sense anyone. There has to be a mistake."

"My equipment does not make mistakes," said Seven, plugging in one small device to what looked to be a tablet screen. On the darkened screen, a few dull spots made themselves known on a superimposed grid. Seven shook his head. "Night-vision goggles. Communication devices. _Personal_ heating units. We have patrol around."

"I don't get it," Krystal said, obviously flustered. "I can _feel_ you guys. I can _feel_ everyone in our team. How can't I feel these guys?"

"Hey now, calm down," Five looked over his shoulder. "That's not important right now. What's important is that we get the power grid operational. If you can hear or smell anything we can't, let us know. Okay?"

"I'll do my best," Krystal answered.

"Good," Five nodded. "We're going this way. Stay close."

The vixen obliged, following the avian's methodical movements. He led them through a corridor, then another, and then another after that. Soon thereafter Seven motioned at Five to stand put after taking a shortcut through one of the conference rooms. Krystal then felt why; there were footsteps following them.

The glass lining one of the office walls shattered, and Five reacted instantly by whipping his shield around to block the oncoming fire. The old-style kinetic rifling popped and strobed as Five's shield was pelted with bullets, but thankfully withstood the firing squad. Five stood defiant and planted his feet, deflecting the bullets until the attackers were all dry. Once the onslaught stopped, he tapped a button on his handle that retracted a panel on the upper section of his shield before it quickly flashed a burst of blinding light. In that moment, Krystal saw three figures recoil at the flash. They were all completely geared up and armed, with protective goggles concealing their faces. Beneath the plexiglass, Krystal saw the dulled outline of irises glowing an eerie cyan.

Seven rose from behind the shield and fired his weapon exactly once. The shot clipped a line of chains holding up one of the unlit overhead lights, causing the one end to snap. The heavy overhead light dropped on the broken side, with the other side's chain acting as a tether. The light swung across the hallway, clobbering the three assailants and knocking them flat without another move. Wide-eyed, Krystal stared up at the two operators as they took a brief moment to collect themselves.

"There's more coming," Seven predicted. "All three emptied a full mag. No way nobody else heard that."

"We gotta move fast then," Five said, reassuming a tense grip on his shield. "Move fast and stay on my tail."

Just as he expected, once they burst out of the office door, they were confronted by a few more armed guards. Momentum carried Krystal to hop over Five's shield and lunge at one of the guards, completely tackling the weapon out of his hands. Five's shield served as a battering ram to the other, knocking him down. Five finished his one guard off with a vicious shield bash, strong enough to crack the guard's protective helmet. All the while, Krystal drew her staff before the other soldier could fight back, blasting him in the head as well to knock him unconscious. Without missing a beat, Five urged Krystal forward as Seven followed.

"The control room is just down here!" the avian breathlessly said, practically carrying Krystal by the collar of her vest. Running past multiple off-shooting corridors only attracted more armed guards, and going down a straight hallway was a sure-fire way to get shot. Acting quickly, Seven diverted their course throughout separate connecting hallways acting as a sort of grid amongst office spaces. While staying low, gunfire still pelted the sheet metal and glass panes around them.

They reached a dead-end on one of the hallways, one that Five spun around to face the oncoming gunfire. He tapped a button on his shield, activating sharp metal spikes on the shield's bottom end. He then impaled the floor and allowed the shield to stand on its own as the avian unstrapped the carbine from his back.

"That's the control room," he said, resting his back along his makeshift wall. "Get in there and fix the power."

"What about you?" Krystal concernedly asked.

"Don't worry about me, worry about the power!" rebuked Five, letting out a retaliatory burst of bullets behind his head.

Seven used his electrical box to force the control room's door inward. He then practically yanked Krystal inside, dodging a handful of shots as they stumbled beyond the doorway.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

"Well… it looks like we're gonna be waitin'," Falco grunted, falling down to sit cross-legged on the floor. "Skae told us to get to the generator and secure it, but we can't get past this damn door without any power."

"Just give them time," Fox assured him, kicking the avian's boots playfully. "I mean, this is a massive power plant facility connected to a technologically advanced climate control center for an entire planet. There's probably more than just a simple flick of a switch."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

"That switch there," Seven confidently declared, shining a flashlight on a rather oversized lever. Krystal nodded and put her muscle into forcing it on. Seconds passed without any reaction from the circuitry. Confused, the vixen flipped it off and then on again. Still nothing.

"It didn't work," Krystal announced.

"I can see that," huffed Seven. The fox found yet another device from his bag and simply slapped it to the metal plates covering the control deck. "Stand back," he told Krystal. As the blue vixen backed away, he activated the device and took a few steps back himself. A burst of sparks lit up the room for a brief moment. "Now."

Krystal stepped forward and yanked the switch on once more. Just as intended, a fan inside the control deck spun to life, while instruments and dials began to breathe and light up. A smile broke through Krystal's mask as Seven started flipping more switches, activating light strips hanging from the ceiling. She could even see the hallways outside the tinted windows light up as more buttons were activated.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Skae smiled beneath her mask as she saw room after room light up behind the tempered glass. "Good, they have the power up," she commented, tracing her gloved paws on one of the panes. "Right here is a good place to go in. You ready?"

"I'll do my best," Remi answered. While she waited, Skae produced a pen-like object from her jacket pocket. While dusting off the powdery snow from the window's metallic edges, she stopped once she tipped a latch welded to itself. She clicked her pen on, producing a shallow blue blade of fire which she used to melt the latch free. With a bit of muscle, Skae ripped the latch open, freeing the pane of glass as if it were the door to an underground storm shelter. Remi wasted no time in hopping inside, and Skae followed before closing the hatch behind her.

Remi stepped onto a ventilation duct, carefully steadying Skae as she resealed the glass hatch. Around the ductwork were thick pipes of all shapes and sizes, with countless wires running parallel to the ductwork. A narrow catwalk resided uncomfortably far from the ductwork; and below: a twenty foot drop separated them from the concrete foundation.

"Maintenance tunnels," Skae sighed. "Not ideal, but it's easy access. Please be careful." With that, Skae pushed off the edge of the ductwork and leapt forward. She clamped onto the railing with both hands as she slammed into the side of the raised walkway; gear clattering along with the walkway supports screeching in protest. She lifted herself up and snuck her legs beneath the hand-railings before reversing her grip and sliding safely onto the walkway which swayed and tilted back and forth from the disturbance. She stood up and leaned onto the railing, outstretching a paw to Remi.

"Yeah, no," Remi shook her head. "I hate heights."

"I'll grab you," Skae assured her. "Just jump."

"I'll just sit here."

"This fall isn't gonna kill you anyway. Might just hurt a little."

"You're not convincing me."

"It's safe," the wolfess insisted, shaking the chains holding the walkway. In doing so, she created a terrible metallic screech, and the shaking support caused the entire walkway to sway and tip more. Skae quickly grabbed onto the chain support with both arms, hugging it tightly while trying to stabilize it. " _Mostly_ ," she corrected.

"Because doing that would convince me," Remi commented sarcastically.

"I'm not _asking_ you," Skae argued. "Come on, we have a job to do."

Remi huffed and readjusted her feet. "If you don't catch me I'm gonna haunt you when I die."

"I'll just visit you in the hospital or something," Skae shrugged. Remi took a half-step back, then charged forward and leapt at the lupine. As promised, Skae latched onto Remi's arm when she drew close, then stabilized her by grabbing her collar when she started to sink. Skae scoffed when she effortlessly pulled Remi up and over the guardrail. "My _gear_ weighs more than you do."

Remi flopped over the railing and rolled flat on her back. "I have an empty stomach."

"You know you complain a lot, right?"

"The last chapter was named after my complaints."

"Fair enough," said Skae, pulling Remi up to her feet. "How do you feel? That Cerinian close?"

Remi exhaled as she let her body rest along the guardrails. "Hard saying. My mind is really weak as is, plus this other Cerinian is super strong. It also doesn't help that I don't know where to go."

"How about this," Skae proposed, pointing a finger down the accessway. "I'll guide you around the base, and you tell me if that feeling gets stronger or weaker. We'll stay under cover and not attract any attention. Sound okay?"

Remi's expression didn't seem convincing. "All my energy is going into making sure this Cerinian doesn't know I'm here. I'm gonna be too weak to try."

"We don't have any other option," Skae admitted. "You're gonna have to try. If anything, we need to keep that Cerinian away from the generator."

"Alright, I'll try," Remi dismissively answered. "Just point me in the right direction."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Meanwhile, the quartet charged with securing the generator room looked around at the cascade of light filling the main atrium. Fancy lighting fixtures once too dark to discern lit up the walkways high above the main floor, tracing outlines along the handrails and diverging hallways. The main spiral staircase also lit up like a giant holiday tree for… whatever winter gift-giving holiday space furries celebrate. All was well with the team for a few moments after the atrium regained power, up until Fara noticed something.

Her satellite dishes twitched. "Hey, do you guys hear that?"

"I'm certain you could 'ear a pin drop from Corneria," Falco sarcastically answered.

"No, bird-brain; I mean I hear something," she fought back.

Six set the heavy end of his hammer down as he leaned on the hilt. "She's right," he said after moments of deliberation. "Patrol is coming in."

"Well, how do you know it's not Krystal or any of them?" Falco asked.

"I'm sure our team doesn't have more than a handful of feet," Six growled, picking up his hammer and stepping away from the doors to the generator.

"Wait, wait, wait; we can just go in the generator room," Fox pleaded, but Six motioned for him to step back.

"We're supposed to _guard_ it, not hide in it," Six answered, reaching way behind his head to wind up. "Stand clear," he grunted just before swinging down, belting the iron paneling of the floor. He was sure to strike it at the edge so that the riveting on the opposite side of the plate would buckle, which it did and caused the plate to bend and peel outward, creating an artificial shield for the team to use.

Moments later, glowing goggles and flashlights wound the corner of an offshoot wing on the third floor. Then another team of about half a dozen popped up on the second floor. A few more teams came into view, stemming from different wings on different floors. Upon spotting the intruding team, the guards all took aim and started firing one after another. Fox and the others were forced to take cover, either behind the makeshift barricade Six created, or ducking behind support columns in the area. Bullets rained down, sparking metallic plates and chipping away at the concrete supports.

"Try not to kill any of them!" shouted Fox, drawing his weapon but cautiously waiting for the first barrage of fire to stop. He took a mental note of his surroundings; he stood behind the left side pillar in relation to Fara and Six, who took cover behind the sheet metal. Falco—somehow—managed to flee further and found shelter behind a support column almost on the opposite side of the circular atrium.

"To hell with that!" Falco rebuked. "Just stay alive!"

"Bird has a point," Six added, poking out from the bunker to fire a few shots upward. Glass shattered but the gunfire didn't slow. "We can't let them overtake us and get in that generator room. Even though they're our men, if that generator room goes then we _all_ die."

"Fine," Fox shook his head, still eying his surroundings. He noticed the armed guards start to move around and try to get a better vantage point, but the way the base was constructed didn't allow them much room to move. So, the only way for them to get a better shot was to rush the central staircase and take formation there.

Falco had the best flanking spot, taking potshots at the advancing swarm of guards to slow their charge. At the start he was taking aim at the guards' arms and legs, taking down a few of them just to keep them from fighting. But, given as they were all still shooting back, Falco had lost patience and was acting like a proper marksman; dropping the advancing enemies with clean shots as if these weapons were second-nature to him.

In the meantime, Fara allowed her training and instincts to take over, darting from cover to cover with speed and grace while expertly shooting down attackers. Even with all her gear and protective clothing, the fennec showcased immense agility rolling between the columns in an attempt to inch closer to the main entrance. Fox knew what she was doing from the start; by flanking on the opposite side of Falco, they now had a perfect all-encompassing view of each individual wing, and the reinforcements that may come from them.

"Six, watch the staircase," Fox instructed. "Falco, you watch the right side and Fara will cover the left. Tell me whenever there's more coming and I'll help."

"To hell with that noise," Six bellowed. "Bird! Ears! Back away!"

The wolf assumed a two-handed grip on his hammer and wound backwards, letting his entire body arc with the weight of his weapon. Standing triumphantly atop the makeshift cover he made earlier, he growled as he lurched forward, mindfully barking a powerful " **YEET** " before letting go of the hammer. All Fox could hear afterwards was a demonic symphony of shattering glass and grinding metal as the sledgehammer belted the central staircase, not slowing in the slightest as it ripped through the construction like a baseball bat through glass windows.

The well-placed projectile compromised the integrity of the staircase right away, as glass shattered and spread from the top of the spiral. Guards positioned on the staircase lost balance and toppled over the sides as the entire staircase began to buckle. Fox, Falco, and Fara all hid behind sturdy support columns while the shower of debris scattered from the collapsing staircase. The twisting construction raked into walkways wrapped around the central atrium, ripping apart concrete paths and metal framework in its wake. In no time, the entire structure was reduced to a pile of rubble as it slammed the ground in a violent tremor, while the air around them darkened to a deep gray and filled with dust and debris.

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

While the distant grinding sound and persistent catwalk vibrating was a little annoying for Skae and Remi, nothing compared to the sudden jolt and tremor that followed the commotion. The tremor shook the catwalk so bad that both ladies lost their footing; Skae tripped and fell flat while Remi completely buckled and crashed into the guardrail. Combined with the incessant shaking, the catwalk couldn't withstand the force and snapped a portion of the guardrail clean off. Remi barely had the mental wit to dig her fingers into the walkway's grating and save herself from falling to the floor below.

Due to the sudden tremor, ductwork and pipes came loose around them. A burst of liquid waste broke free a few feet down the line, cascading down to the floor as the piping fractured link after link. One section of the piping defiantly stayed attached and arced outward, slamming into the chains holding the walkway up. This, in turn, shook the catwalk further, forcing more strain onto an already exhausted and terrified Remi. She yipped and clawed outward as the raised walkway twisted and started to bend from the violent rocking.

Skae stumbled to her feet and desperately clung onto the chain support as it swayed and threatened to snap entirely. "Hang on, Remi!" she yelled over the deafening metallic roar filling the accessway. As if things couldn't get worse, a section of the walkway did indeed snap from the pressure, shattering the chain supports and buckling the walkway paneling. Skae gripped onto the guardrail for dear life as the ground beneath her gave way, but as the walkway fell limp, she let her other arm drift down and clutch at Remi's wrist. The rest of the walkway was allowed to bend at the joints just before the doors to the rest of the base. While the sections farther down the accessway slammed into the concrete below, the section the girls were on stayed vertical as it slammed into the concrete wall. The impact was harsh and definitely deadly to the common man, but Skae persistently held on; not allowing herself or Remi to fall. Even before the compromised walkway settled, Remi took note of what Skae was doing and latched onto the guardrail rungs. Skae soon realized Remi was safe and braced herself further, waiting for the walkway to quit swaying.

While the two girls panted and regained their breath, Remi barked, "Mostly hecking safe, isn't it?"

"Something went horribly wrong," Skae answered.

"Oh, you don't say?!" Remi hollered sarcastically. "In case that wasn't _abundantly_ clear!"

"No, something with the base," she clarified.

" _Really_ specific on that analysis," huffed the Cerinian.

Skae raked her boot along the walkway grate before hooking it onto the guardrail rungs. "Be careful and you can climb up. Try not to disturb it further."

"I'm sure I couldn't disturb it further if I tried," Remi grunted, hoisting herself up the guardrail inch by inch.

"Well, we could shake what's left of this thing, rip the supporting rivets out, and let this thing fall down to the foundation with the rest of this walkway and all the waste spilling out."

"You _really_ aren't helping me," complained Remi.

Skae ignored her and climbed up what was left of the guardrail until she kicked up and crawled onto the concrete doorway. She spun herself around and extended a hand to Remi once she climbed herself up, then pulled the Cerinian to safety. The vixen promptly collapsed to her backside and laid her head against the threshold.

"That puts a wrench to our plan," Skae said to herself, scanning the demolished accessway. The air from the fractured ductwork mixed with the outside blizzard and created a deep fog that masked the entire tunnel. The wolfess could only stare at the remainder with curiosity and relief.

"What even was that?" asked Remi, still out of breath.

"Hard saying," she replied. "It had to have been from the base itself; Fichina does not experience earthquakes."

Remi's head craned around. "You don't think it was from the generator, do you?"

"If it was the generator, we'd all be dead from the blast," Skae deadpanned. "But the noise certainly came from that direction." Thankfully, the blast door sealing the accessway off opened when Skae activated it, leaving her a stairwell up to the main floor. "We should find Fox. If that tremor came near him, he might be in trouble."

"You insisted on finding this Cerinian," Remi reminded her, which the wolfess dismissed.

"If I had to guess, the Cerinian might not be far from where Fox is."

Remi blinked. "Oh heck."

* * *

 _ **Ξ**_

* * *

Even flashlights couldn't cut through the thick haze of rubble and dust, something Fox didn't necessarily want to learn. The air was heavy and hard to breathe in. And to make matters worse, the rubble from the staircase scattered and made the terrain dangerous and hard to navigate. Fox's only option was to focus and let his hand catch fire once more; seemingly melting through the dust in an instant.

"Guys! Head towards the fire!" Fox shouted. "We gotta regroup and—"

He was forcibly cut off when gunfire erupted and clipped the column he was hiding behind. Somehow there were still enemies out there, and while he couldn't find them, they certainly could see him. Fox didn't panic, opting to take cover where he could and inch closer to the blast doors housing the generator. It wasn't ideal, and he certainly didn't want to do it, but the generator room was the best option for them to seek shelter in.

Fox poked free from his cover and slapped the door's receiver. The door answered him with a deafening roar as the doors slowly receded into the wall. A vibrant blue light erupted from the opening doors, while a blast of circulation fans cut into the wall of dust and blew it out of the atrium and into the entryway hallway, eliminating the haze in the main room. The generator beneath the blast doors howled with power, instantly creating a makeshift spotlight to light the entire atrium up.

In doing so, all of the brainwashed soldiers attacking them came into full view. Without a weapon in his hands, Fox retaliated against the soldiers on the main floor targeting him by swinging his right arm in their direction. In the arc, he forced his hand to catch fire once more, and the force of his swing created a blade of pure heat that singed the team and prevented them from moving. In that time, a few gunshots rung out and dropped the hostile soldiers. Fox turned to see Fara emerge from behind the supporting pillars, a carbine in her hands. When she looked back at Fox, the vulpine winked.

"I love you so much," he chuckled as Fara blew him a kiss. The fennec had little time to herself, as she quickly hid back behind the support pillars as the remaining patrol on the upper floors started to fire back. Fox turned his back against his cover, looking around to see his surroundings in the process. He spotted Falco and Six on the opposite side of him, but they were covered and seemed okay. All that was left was about a half-dozen soldiers, four on the second floor deck and two way up on the third floor.

As he watched, he saw one of the third-floor patrols lurch forward after a distinct gunshot and topple over the guardrail. The other guard on that floor turned around and started firing, but it was too late. His bullets were deflected and sent aside just before a distinct shield smashed into him at full force. Five had too much momentum and crashed through whatever guardrail there was, taking the soldier down with him. The soldier seemed to break his fall as he slammed into the pile of rubble, using his shield as a makeshift sled to mitigate the impact.

Fox looked back up to see Krystal slide just before the edge of the balcony. She stabbed her staff into the ground and used it to slingshot herself from the third floor to the second. As she hooked herself through, she carried her momentum and dropkicked two of the guards to the ground. In one smooth motion, she whipped her staff around and clobbered the other two guards square on the jaw, smashing their masks off and flinging them to the ground in a heap. Before the other two soldiers could recover, she kicked one in the head to knock him senseless, then turned her attention to the other stunned guard. Without missing a beat, Krystal chopped the guard down to his knees with one swing, reversed the swing all the way around to catch him in the gut, then came down with a two-handed swing with the end of her staff across his back to drop him flat. Blowing hair from her eyes, she stepped over to the edge of the balcony and held her staff triumphantly.

"I love you so much," Falco said to himself a little too loudly. Krystal noticed and blushed a little, but then noticed two sets of glowing eyes behind the avian.

"Falco, behind you!" the vixen shrieked, watching in horror as Falco could only spin around and face his attackers. He flinched and braced himself, but he was only met with a growling roar behind the two attackers.

Out of the shadows leapt a ferocious Remi, hopping over the two guards and driving a hidden blade into one of the guards' neck. She reversed her grip on the blade, then yanked it out and spun all the way around to deliver a forearm shiver to the other guard, slashing his neck as well. Because this story somehow is still rated T, a comedically potent burst of rainbow glitter confetti popped from the two guards' wounds, and dual party horns sounded as they sank to the floor.

Falco blinked as an evil giggle broke the silence. Remi winked at him, then said, "You know you could say that to me too, right?"

"That's a little illegal, kiddo," Falco huffed.

"Fox didn't seem to mind," she commented.

"I did not consent to this!" Fox hollered from across the room.

Falco grunted and dusted himself off. "I guess I should be thankful," he said, nodding his head to the vixen.

Remi giggled even more. "He did it! He did the voiceline thing!" she announced with glee, shaking her folded arms with excitement.

"So the damage _did_ come from here," Skae said, walking herself into the main light. "Glad to see you're all okay."

Six chuckled to himself, ripping his sledgehammer free from the mountain of rubble. "And people said my tools were out of place," he said to himself, dusting debris off of the steel finish.

"You really didn't have to demolish the whole staircase," Skae said with a bit of disappointment.

"Made our job easier," Six answered, then held the hammer high and boomed, "We're masters of tactics!"

"I wouldn't call destroying half the base _tactics_ ," said Seven, gliding himself down to the main floor with a compact little drone.

"Sure was fun though."

While the operators and Skae talked, Falco looked up to see Krystal waving at him. He walked his way over to the other side of the atrium, just below where the vixen sat herself down on the edge of the balcony.

"Need 'elp, blueness?" the bird asked.

"Please," Krystal smiled, collapsing her staff and getting ready to jump. Falco planted his feet and held his wings out, prompting Krystal to push off the edge and land in Falco's grasp comfortably. Once Falco stabilized her in his hold, she brushed hair out of her face and looked up at him, not knowing she was blushing again.

"Thanks for savin' me earlier," Falco humbly said. "I owe ya one."

She smiled back. "Anything for you."

As he set Krystal back down on her feet, he gave her a nudge and said, "Those moves you did up there were incredible! I never knew you were that good!"

Krystal giggled softly. "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty good with a staff."

"Pretty good?" Falco laughed. "Don't sell yerself short; you're amazin'."

"I guess I just don't use it often," she said retrospectively, but grinned once more. "Maybe this is my excuse to use it more."

They rejoined with Fox and the rest of their group while they were looking inside the generator room. The vibrant blue light and perpetual machine whirring stayed the same from earlier. Skae took the first steps forward, stopping in the doorway to examine the machine. The giant turbine seemed to be in perfect shape, maintaining a powerful energy level that was simply lying idle at this time. She turned back to Seven.

"Any luck on the power?"

"It's locked from the inside," Seven answered. "I have to look at the generator myself."

"Okay. Make it quick."

Fox followed the team inside, prompting the rest of his crew to enter the generator room as well. The noise of the machine didn't get louder when they passed the doorway and started walking down the fortified walkway, but the sheer power of the machine started to intensify the more they got closer to it. Inside, dozens—no, _hundreds_ of power banks and transformers lined the steel reinforced walls of the generator room. Thousands of wires in all shapes and sizes spider-webbed from the top of the central turbine as it churned and pumped beneath the spacious concrete platform. Flanking the turbine were control panels, which Seven wasted no time in setting up shop.

Remi didn't advance farther than the doorway when entering the room, something Fox took note of. "Something wrong, Remi?"

She nodded her head yes as she cautiously took steps into the massive vault-like room. "That power… it's getting stronger…"

"It's the generator," Fox told her, but Remi shook her head.

"No…" She took a few more steps inside. "The generator doesn't have the power. It only looks like it's pumping power."

Fox's eyes narrowed. "Hold on. If this generator isn't running right, then why does this room feel…" Fox trailed off as he noticed Remi's eyes start to glow ever so slightly. Fox soon felt his eyes start to do the same.

"You feel it too," Remi mumbled.

"It's here," Fox whispered back to her. "Damn it, it was in here the whole time."

"Waiting for us," Remi growled.

" _At long last_ ," an echoing, reverberating voice sheered through the frigid air and silenced the entire team. Just like that, an eruption of downy snow obscured the entire turbine before fleeting and revealing a lone female figure dressed in white. Even with the generator glowing a bright blue, the figure seemingly glowed on her own, reflecting off the powdery snow kicked up by her appearance. Her lacy white dress fluttering in her artificial breeze accentuated the wavy texture of her snow-white hair. This figure; tall, slim, and breathtaking could only be described as angelic as she hovered high above the ground.

Up until Remi barred her teeth.

This woman dressed in white sported a full coat of azure fur; no large section was left unblemished by white tribal markings and spirals. Her face—mostly obscured behind the veil of snow—soon revealed a full canine skull acting as a mask over her muzzle and face. The eye sockets produced an eerie smoke lit a cyan blue, drifting beyond her pointed ears. She was also clad in countless articles of jewelry; golden bracelets, thick gold and silver bands embezzled with brilliant jewels, and impressive rings and lockets covered both arms and hands, while her ears showcased dozens of golden loops and gems. The crowning piece was her massive gold chained necklace, complete with a stunning diamond glowing in the same color as her smoky eyes; the same color seen in their mind-controlled adversaries.

"I knew you were here," Remi growled.

"And I knew you all were coming," said the woman. Her skull mask didn't move a bit, although her words were potent and unmistakable. "I am impressed with your coordination. However, your determination is misplaced, dear Remilia."

"I warned you to never say my name again," Remi snapped back, keeping her composure steady even if it was just a façade. Her claws would have cut through her own palms had her gloves allowed it. Her anger worked to mindlessly walk her in front of the rest of the team to stand before the woman.

"You still have not grown above your empty threats," the woman rebuked calmly, speaking with such a regal presence that anyone could have been allured with its beauty. "Nothing has changed since we last met. Fascinating."

"Alright, who the hell are ya anyway?" snapped an irritable Falco.

The glow beneath the woman's mask rose to examine the team behind Remi. "Such inelegance. I assumed such a coordinated team would have more desirable mannerisms, but I _am_ speaking to Lylatians; I should not expect much. Very well."

A graceful flick of her wrist caused an updraft of blown snow to plume about her pearly dress as she sank to the ground. Once she set foot on the cold steel, the snow plume fanned out as if a balloon containing it burst. Everyone aside from Remi braced themselves in the whirlwind.

"You may call me Haifae," the vixen explained, taking a few gentle steps forward in her elegant heels. "I am a Cerinian Alpha of the Architect's High Council. I oversee the first stage of the Architect's plan and ensure that scum like you do not interfere. The Architect does not settle for less than perfection, so I will leave it up to you, dear Remilia, to see your friends off the premises before they are erased."

Remi shook her head no. "You said nothing's changed? I'm not gonna run away this time. I've been waiting for years to get after you and every single one of the Alphas for what you did to me."

Alpha Haifae merely chuckled to herself. "You damaged yourself more than any one of us could have ever done. We tried to teach you, and you rejected us. Even when you were at your lowest, we extended a helping hand; eager to welcome you into our ranks. Yet… you still rejected us."

"You never told me what this plan was anyway," said Remi.

"And you suppose I will tell you _now_? After refusing our teachings for years?"

Remi smirked. "I'd sure as hell give it a thought," she replied sarcastically.

"Foolish girl; do you assume I am not familiar with you?" Haifae inquired with a damming echo to her voice, as if every letter she spoke acted as a hammer and chisel carving their way into your innermost thoughts. "Your disruptive and unruly behavior jeopardizes what the Architect has planned for decades. You truly must be a fool to believe that I would divulge any sensitive information to you or any of your blind friends."

"That's what Barker says and yet I'm still getting targeted ads for oversized silverware," quipped Remi. "I'd get to talking, unless you want to end up as dead as—"

"As dead as your comrades you slaughtered just to get to me?" interrupted the Alpha. The eyes beneath her skull glowed deeper as she stared at Skae and her team. "Just because they were under _my_ control does not mean they were devoid of life. Flesh and blood, they were still your friends, teammates, family… and you killed them. This is precisely why the Architect is eradicating this world of selfish, apathetic monsters like you."

"I'm hearing a lot of talk without anything to back it up," Fox finally interjected. He stepped forward from the group and stood beside Remi, a fearless trance overtaking him. Although his physical presence said otherwise, internally he was shaking in his boots. This Cerinian _radiated_ power, power that made his fur bristle.

A false laughter broke free from Haifae's mask. "Ah… the mercenary with the unoriginal name. The media christens you as a hero, do they not? You must reinforce their predisposition and act as the hero they all assume you are. But, you are anything but this infallible saint. Greed drives your action against perceived injustice, lust ruins your livelihood and trust, and revenge is the sole motivator for your entire career. Have you no shame for the sins rotting your name?"

Fox scoffed. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"I know your kind more than the rest of you," Haifae growled in response, causing Fox and the others to shudder. "Selfish, uncaring, disgusting stains on the masterpiece of life. Your kind are no different than any other sentient lifeform evolved into the universe. You are only motivated for self-preservation; without any remorse towards anyone else or the world around you. This motivation consumes you."

Fox simply blinked as the vixen continued.

"The Architect sees these sins so deeply engrained in the evolution of life that there is only one way to purify life in the universe, and that is to start over completely. The Architect alone has the mind and power to collapse this decaying universe and begin anew with creations befit for such a pure world; erasing the scum, villainy, and temptations that ruin such a magnificent mind. However, nothing can be made without starting from something… so the Architect desires enough energy from this universe in order to rewrite a new one. An excellent starting point is the Geothermal Power Plant here on Fichina; bountiful energy put to waste ensuring people stay alive on a planet in which they do not belong."

Haifae shook her head in disgust; pristine white locks swirling about in her wake. "Fichina, in case you all are blissfully ignorant, is a giant comet that was captured by Lylat in the early stages of this system's formation. Just like the comets that pelted Corneria, Aquas, and Zoness; this comet has ice… ice which melts… providing water, life, and atmosphere… The inexhaustible hydraulic energy encapsulated within this comet acts as a natural source of energy to provide a steady amount of heat within the atmosphere. Infrared light from Lylat is captured and provides an uncomfortably cold, yet stable environment. This is where the Lylat system can find limitless clean water to appease the greedy tycoons on worlds where their clean water given to them by these comets had run dry from misuse or tainted with careless pollution."

She turned to them once more, letting the glow of her eyes sour to a deep crimson. "Imagine what this comet could do for the Architect's plan. This much mass and energy could easily detonate Lylat and eradicate this system completely. Oh, what a glorious day that would be; seeing this vile race wiped from the cosmos."

"You're insane if you think we're just gonna sit here and let you do that," Fox shot back.

"Insanity, my dear Fox, is relative to the one examining it," Haifae rebuked. "What you consider insane is what I declare merciful. And I would know mercy, since I extend it to anyone willing to repent and assist the Architect's vision. Even you."

"You think any of us would join you?" asked a bewildered Fox.

"Not everyone is impervious to temptation," cooed Haifae. "Your simple Lylatian minds cannot comprehend the scope of the Architect's plan, but anyone willing to risk everything to follow the Architect is a worthy subject of our new universe. A universe devoid of suffering, stress, and death… and simply full of fulfilling life. Just the thought of it is tantalizing. You cannot truthfully say that what the Architect envisions is horrible and worse than the world you live in today."

Remi cut her off. "Fox, everything she has ever said is a total lie. She's just trying to get your guard down."

"Even dear Remilia is not immune to temptation from such a powerful group," Haifae continued, "As she knows that what we preach is ultimately within our grasp. She was once part of our ranks, even for a brief moment on the cosmic scale. With this much power comes great responsibility, etcetera, etcetera, you get the idea. This much power could make you what you truly desire to be. Fox, you fight for what is just and worthy, no? Surely you understand that the Architect's cause is the worthiest cause to fight for."

"Fox, she's messing with you!" screamed Remi. "Don't listen to her!"

"Nonsense," the elder vixen calmly interrupted, watching as Fox took meek steps backwards. "Not every decision has strings attached. Surely you of all would understand that…" she trailed off when she detected a strange energy brewing beneath Fox's mind. Something all too familiar. "No… that… that is… …not possible…"

Fox let his left leg slide back as he crouched closer to the ground. After a tense second, he opened his eyes and allowed a powerful ember to form above his outstretched hand; his arm recoiling at the sudden blast of heat. While his emerald eyes shimmered, he adopted a fighting stance with his fireball plainly visible.

"You made a mistake trying to turn me against my friends," Fox deadpanned. "Leave, or we'll make you."

"A non-Cerinian wielding divine graces?" Haifae stammered, clearly shaken but not disrupted. "Dear Remilia, what have you done to him?"

"I did him a favor; something _you_ refused to do for me," Remi glared daggers at the vixen. "You heard him. Get out."

"Not with the Architect's plan at stake," Haifae growled back, clutching her necklace. "I _did_ anticipate a fight, however, so I suppose I shall entertain you all before your prompt removal. Oh, but please forgive my lack of manners. Before we begin, let me introduce you to my student."

Fox felt his skin crawl milliseconds before she finished, so he spun around as fast as his body let him. In the small space awarded to him, Fox cupped the back of his smoldering paw and forced both paws outward, launching the ball of fire he was holding. Skae's team parted at the sudden burst of fire, which screamed past them and collided with a freshly shot arrow from beyond the doorway; vaporizing it. When the plume of smoke dispersed, another Cerinian emerged with a massive longbow drawn. The Cerinian took a few steps into the light, revealing red paint markings smeared across his face. He too was cloaked in white garb, making his tall and lean frame look like an arctic assassin.

"Paladin Aniketh, these here were the intruders I warned you of," Haifae continued.

The Paladin planted his feet. "There are Cerinians with them," he observed.

Haifae shook her head. "I tried, but they are lost. Tainted by the impure. Show them no mercy."

Remi merely laughed aloud. "Scared you couldn't beat me alone?"

"I worry not about you in a fight," Haifae remarked. "You are much too weak to serve as a threat."

Remi rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder. "See, even the insane witch knows that I didn't have nearly enough to eat! I tried to tell you guys, but _no_ ; I'm the one that's complaining!"

"Food is irrelevant in our new world," commented Haifae.

"I learned to detach from addicting tastes," Aniketh added.

Skae sighed. "You guys are pathetic."

"Enough talk," Haifae held out her arms and gracefully rose into the air. "You may fight back as you wish, but I, the most powerful Alpha of all the Architect's High Counc—"

"Five, take her picture!"

"What?"

 ** _*FLASH*_**


End file.
